Only You
by wkjs
Summary: Charlotte, "Boston's Princess," must choose between Tyler Seguin and Sidney Crosby. Will she be able to? *Rated M*
1. One

Car horns blared all around me as I waited impatiently in Boston's hideous, yet inevitable rush hour traffic. I impulsively kept checking the time on my phone, hoping it was slower than the clock on the dash of my A6. _Shit_. Who would've thought it would take an hour and a half to drive 5 miles across town? I squeezed the steering wheel, my knuckles whitening, and slowly inched my way along, praying some Masshole wouldn't rear end the glistening black bumper on my new car. Cambridge to the North End was a complete disaster, and there was nothing I could do but wait.

I finally got to the TD Bank Garden (two hours late), which is the home of the Boston Bruins and the Celtics. Now, if there's one thing everyone knows about me, it's that my family is New England royalty. This place is our palace. Not a concept I engineered, but the media enjoys calling me 'Boston's Princess.' It's not my fault my dad owns TD Bank. But he likes to put me on babysitting duty whenever there's another team in town. Tours, dinners, clubs; you name it, I either take them there or are responsible for it. Even though it's a searing August evening, there's a week-long NHL training clinic at the Garden. The first practice was at 2, and I was painfully late. All the big shots are supposed to be there, and I've already made a horrible impression on them by arriving over an hour after their practice ended. I pulled up to the fenced lot and made quick small talk with Henry, the gate-tender.

"Oh, Miss Charlotte! You know those boys are expecting you." He seemed to be scolding me, the wrinkles on his dark face shifting to match his disappointed expression.

"I know Henry, I'm sorry. This traffic is wicked bad. I'll see you when I leave!" I took my access card from him and parked my Audi with the rest of the luxury cars. Most of them were probably rentals for the week, but I picked out Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron's cars. They'd give me an earful when I saw them, I knew it.

I made my way into the back entrance, trying to smooth my lacey robin's egg blue dress and fluff my long sun-bleached blonde hair before facing the testosterone. Dad would be pretty pissed if he saw the outfit I was wearing, but what could he expect in this wretched 90-degree weather? The dress had an open back and was cut well above my knees, and my cream colored heels made my legs look much more slender than they actually were. But I marched along the alley way, flipping through the itineraries and folders and pictures of each player, past the locker rooms and out into the arena. The thousands of seats were empty except for the 30 or so hockey players jumping around in the front rows. They looked like they had already showered, and were tossing a football around, leaping through the aisles, hurdling themselves up the stairs. _Boys_. They were loud, rowdy. I recognized most of them, players from the Eastern Conference. I made my way closer, and once they realized I was there, they stopped dead in their tracks and hopped into seats, knowing full well that I was their authority figure for the night, and that they would have to be on their best behavior.

A loud whistle pierced through the still, chilly air, clearly a response to my outfit, and I shot a quick glare over to Tyler, who diverted his eyes from mine, intimidated. I knew it came from him. _That's right, don't even try that with me tonight._ I cleared my throat before beginning my usual shpeel.

"Well, hello everyone. For those of you who haven't met me, I'm Charlotte Williams, and I am responsible for all of you while you're here. I'm sorry I couldn't meet you this morning and that I kept you waiting tonight, but now I have all of your itineraries. I assume you all checked into your hotels?"

I was answered with silent nods.

"Good. I'm sorry again that I kept you waiting, you all must be starving." That was an understatement. "So, let's go out to the hallway, it'll be easier to talk out there."

I led the parade of t-shirt-clad men back out into the alley I came through. The acoustics were much better, and I could see everyone at eye level, instead of standing rows above them and worrying if they could see up my dress or not. Everyone gathered against the wall, and I stood opposite them, shuffling through my papers again.

"Alright, so y'all are organized by teams, unless you requested otherwise, so we'll start with the Boston boys. You're having dinner with Dad tonight, have fun!" I rose my voice sarcastically and handed them their sheet with directions and car service information. They knew the drill, and they rolled their eyes at me as they headed outside. But Tyler remained behind, and I quickly looked over the list again to make sure his name wasn't left off it. He wasn't listed there. _Ugh, you've got to be kidding me. _I sent the rest of the teams on their way, Washington was having dinner downtown, Philly was meeting with some potential sponsors, and the New York and New Jersey teams were going out for some sight seeing.

"Okay, so I'm assuming you're the Penguins?" I asked, looking at the remaining guys in front of me– Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. And Tyler, standing there with some smug look on his face. I had met Sid and Evgeni before but had never really spoken to them besides usually business stuff like this. "Well, you're having dinner with me and then we're going out, is that good?" They nodded again and followed me out the door. I usually never actually entertain guests personally but things went awry with some of the planning, and I didn't mind. Pittsburgh had the fewest number of players sent from a team so I had to make them feel welcome. Dad's orders, but I had already told my best friends Morgan and Chelsea that they could come with us, and they were beyond excited to meet the mystery guests. I hadn't told them who I got stuck with, but they trusted that any hockey player would be attractive.

"I hope you guys don't mind that we're meeting some of my friends at the restaurant. I wasn't planning on having you with me, not that it's a problem. I just had plans." The girls would help break the ice and make it easier to communicate with the unfamiliar players. Tyler, they knew. Pretty well. I couldn't give these three guys equal attention without things getting awkward, and I'm sure they would appreciate the company. Don't get me wrong, I could entertain a crowd, but usually when I take groups of players out they request 'dates.' But this would be different, these were my best friends, and they just wanted to have fun.

"They hot?" One asked in a thick, Russian accent. _What do they call him? Oh right, Geno._

"That's for you to decide." They laughed lightly at my response and we met the driver of the Escalade that would be escorting us all night and piled in. We waved to Henry at the gate and set off to our destination: Tangierino, a chic Moroccan restaurant. It was only a quick drive. We honestly could've walked but it just wasn't realistic given our status. I really don't have an ego, it's just fact. You can't walk around Boston with Tyler Seguin, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby and think no one will recognize you. Paparazzi also tended to follow me around when I went out because of some unsavory things I did in the past. I couldn't shake them, and it drove me nuts. Plus, the guys were wearing their post-practice t-shirts and shorts – not acceptable for a night out in Boston. We drove to Tyler's apartment and then Sid and Geno's hotel and I waited in the car each time for what seemed like an eternity while they changed into button down shirts in various shades of light blue and shorts. Sidney was wearing Nantucket reds, but Geno and Tyler wore khakis.

Once we got to the restaurant, the host quickly shuffled us to one of the private dining rooms where Morgan and Chelsea were already waiting for us. We entered the grand area – not grand in size, but in appearance. The walls were a deep red, covered in Moroccan artwork, mirrors and mosaics. There were couches and piles of pillows toward the back of the room, and the table was the central piece, a round, reclaimed piece of wood that had been stained to nearly a milk chocolate brown. It shone against the soft golden beams emanating from the dimmed chandelier above. Chelsea and Morgan jumped up from their seats and ran over to me, throwing their arms around me.

"Well aren't you going to introduce us?" They chimed, giving the new guys behind me once-overs.

"Morgan, Chelsea, this is Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin… and you know Tyler." Sid and Geno shook hands the girls' eager hands cordially, anxiously smiling at the looks they were giving them. The guys politely pulled chairs out for us around the table and we took our seats. I immediately buried my face in a menu. I was starving, and trying to avoid Tyler, but Morgan and Chelsea were whispering to themselves behind theirs, obviously plotting some evil scheme.

We ate our dinner with polite small talk and awkward advances from my friends. God, they could drive me nuts, especially when other teams came to town. They already had a reputation with the Bruins, but new guys? I'm sure they were already scheming about how they could get used to bitter Pittsburgh winters. As if they were worse than Boston's. Dinner was pleasant, but I was relieved when we finally got up to head to the club called The Estate, just across the river from my brownstone in Cambridge. I could use some hard liquor. We loaded into the Escalade and headed across the city where our driver dropped us off. The music from within the building pulsed beneath our feet before we even got inside. Of course we were shot glances from the people waiting in line around the building when we were immediately let in, but it was easy to shake them off.

"SHOTS ON CHARLOTTE!" Morgan hollered and ran ahead to the bar. Her tight black dress clung to her tiny, yet athletic frame as she shuffled in her stilettos toward the vodka. We followed behind her, trying to push our way through the masses of people. The music roared and the air was thick with sweat and fog, but hopefully we could get to the VIP section at some point and escape the madness. People slowly began to recognize us, but it was dark enough that we could stay on the down-low for a little while.

Morgan and Chelsea knew I had the 'company credit card.' Daddy's money. As much as I loved them, their expectation that my dad would pay for everything was a little ridiculous. But I couldn't do much, and by the time we got to the bar, six shots of Grey Goose were being poured for us. No questions asked, the bartender just shot me a quick wink. We each grabbed one and Morgan lifted it above her in a toast position.

"Thank you Charlotte's daddy for buying us these shots, and thank you for bringing us these smoking hot hockey players. Amen!" We clinked glasses, dumbfounded that this was her speech before she had even had more than a glass of wine, and downed our poison. It flamed down my throat, a warning, foreshadowing the consequences of a night that I knew this would turn out to be, and I quickly motioned for the bartender to pour another round.

After four more shots, I was ready to weave my way through the middle of the dance floor and let loose, mixed drink in hand. The bass pumped and Chelsea and Morgan faced me in our own mini circle as we worked our bodies with the music. As the minutes passed, I could feel the alcohol becoming more concentrated in my body, inflicting its early effects on my judgment and coordination. I almost didn't even think twice when I felt someone behind me moving in sync with the rhythm my hips were keeping. I could feel my mind slowly slipping, revealing my party-princess alter ego, and the sluttyness got turned up about 100 notches. The bare backs of my thighs rubbed against the legs of whoever was dancing with me. I didn't think about turning around to look at him, but the looks on Morgan and Chelsea's faces and the blurred expressions around me suggested otherwise. With my backside still moving firmly with his rhythm, I tilted my chin up, and before I could get a good look at him, I felt a pair of lips attach on to mine. I responded instinctively – I kissed back, spinning my body around without breaking the kiss. I grinded my hips against his, as I nipped and tugged at his bottom lip. His tongue eagerly explored the inside of my mouth, his left hand wandering down to my thigh, pulling me as close as possible.

"Charlotte! Charlotte what the fuck are you doing?" Chelsea pulled at my shoulder, breaking the bond of the lips I had been kissing. I opened my eyes, taking in the sight of just whom exactly I was throwing myself on, and I took a huge step back. _Fuck. Fuck, not again._ A camera flashed, and I realized I had conjured up quite the crowd around us.

"I... I'm sorry." I pushed through the crowd, forcing my way to the back door where the security guard, who immediately recognized me, propped the door open for me as I slipped outside. People with cameras had followed me most of the way, but the guard kept them from exiting the way I had to give me some space. I put my palm to my forehead as I wobbly paced back and forth on the sidewalk. Luckily this side of the building was opposite to the one with the line. The fresh air didn't do much to help clear my head. Why was this happening again? How could I be so stupid? I felt like a young deer, unsteady in my heels, frantic and scrambling to gather my thoughts, when I heard the door open again behind me.


	2. Two

"Charlotte…" I whipped around, preparing to strike him. His voice was so smooth, so comforting, but I couldn't give in. He was illuminated by the soft glow of the surrounding streetlamps, the sweat glistening on his brow. The top three buttons of his shirt were undone, exposing part of his carved chest.

"Tyler, don't. I don't need this, I can't keep doing this." I shied away as he kept moving closer, trying to put his arms around me.

"Come on, Charlie. It's okay."

"No it's not okay. And don't call me that. _You_ don't get to call me that." I pressed my hand into the center of his chest, keeping him at an arms distance. His cheeks were pink from the alcohol, something he wasn't even old enough to consume in this country, and the body heat from the mass of people inside forced beads of sweat to drip down his temples. He was stronger than me though, and clearly I would lose this battle as my arm strained against his protest. His hands found my hips, and I felt myself caving into those old familiar feelings, but I knew it was the alcohol, and I knew this was wrong.

"We could make this work, you know." His voice was low, practically pleading. Was he trying to bargain with me?

My mind flashed back to December, and my heart stirred as I remembered how this mess began.

…

Tyler and I had been best friends, inseparable from the moment we met after the Bruins picked him in the 2010 draft. He had a girlfriend back home, and I kept my space, knowing the boundaries. But we couldn't ignore the connection we had, and we kept it under control for about a year. Once Christmastime rolled around last year, he started making awkward advances towards me. Or I could've just been hypersensitive. But maybe he was homesick? Maybe things were going wrong with his girlfriend? I honestly don't know what changed. I loved him, I really did, but I loved him enough not to ruin his relationship with his girlfriend, or our friendship. But the problem was just that - love. Boston royalty, it sounded so perfect, looked so good in pictures. Everyone was just waiting for it to happen.

But New Years Eve came, along with the out-of-control party my dad threw for the team members and their friends in a luxury suite at the Ritz Carlton. I remember I wore a strapless, silver sequined dress cropped midway up my thighs, my hair curled and down, feet strapped into black pumps that were way too tall. I had taken quite a few shots, trying to keep up with the guys that weighed a good hundred pounds more than I did. I could feel my knees getting weaker as I tried to support myself in those heels, but I couldn't deny gravity or the affects of the drinks. I wasn't blackout drunk, but I was definitely drunk enough to lose my balance if I tipped the wrong way. It was just a few minutes before midnight, and people were starting to gravitate closer to the TV to watch the ball drop. As I felt myself falling over, Tyler, who hadn't left my side all night, ducked over and caught me, scooping me up and throwing me over my shoulder. I squealed and laughed as he effortlessly carried me into one of the five bedrooms and closed the door behind us, muffling the commotion we had just left.

"Are you okay?" He asked, putting a strong hand on my cheek.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" I escaped his grasp and went over and flopped down horizontally across the king size bed. The duvet hugged me as I floated on the cloud of feathers and memory foam. The ornate ivory ceiling fan spun above me, practically hypnotizing me, until Tyler hovering on top of me interrupted the view. He propped himself up on his left elbow, his legs draped over mine.

"Hi," he spoke softly, smiling down at me.

"Hi yourself," I responded, squirming a little beneath him. His gaze was strong, and a little terrifying to be honest. I could see everything he felt for me in his expression, and I couldn't avoid it. But my feet were killing me, a welcomed distraction, and I tried to kick off my shoes without causing too much of a commotion, but one hit the wall with a loud _thud_, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You're not so graceful, you know that?"

I smacked Tyler's arm, playfully, and he let a small laugh escape from his chest. We could hear the countdown begin, as everyone began shouting along with Dick Clark on the TV. I started to count back with them, my eyes never breaking from Tyler's, and he began the countdown at 5.

"4…3…2…1…" And before I could say "Happy New Year," his lips locked themselves with mine. It took me a second to figure out what was happening but I didn't protest. I kissed him back, and with my inhibitions gone, grabbed at the buttons on his shirt, trying to free the rippling muscles beneath them. I finally couldn't deal with the seemingly great amount of precision it took to slip buttons through their holes so I tugged his shirt over his head. My hands instantly grabbed at the smooth skin of his back, the sea of muscles rolling in and out as he shifted his weight, deepening the kiss. He picked me up in one arm and slid me up toward the head of the bead so I was propped up against the pillows, and began moving his lips down my neck, nibbling and sucking in just the right places. I couldn't hold back the small groans that escaped from deep in my throat, but neither could he. His right hand started to slide up my dress, following the outline of my thigh, my hip, along my stomach and my ribs, until he gathered the fabric in his hand and started lifting it up. I helped him, remembering that the dress had a zipper and wouldn't come off so easily. He sat up while I wiggled out of the dress, and just stared. The look on his face was primal, as I sat there in just my bra and thong.

"Didn't your mother teach you that staring is rude?" I joked, trying to lessen the intensity of the moment.

"I wasn't raised by wolves," he retorted. "I just can't help it… You're so beautiful."

My heart melted. I knew this was wrong. But was it really? He still had a girlfriend from what I knew, even though she was back in Canada, and I technically worked for the Bruins. Dad always told me to maintain a professional relationship with the players, but it was too late for that. This was a special circumstance, no matter how many times anyone has tried to deny it. Dad had overlooked my friendship with Tyler; glad to see I had taken him under my wing and showed him how to handle Boston (as best as I could). Tyler was young, only 17 when he was drafted. I was 19 when this started, and though it wasn't a large age difference, I was at an advantage when it came to Boston and dealing with the amount of attention that came with a professional sports team. Now we were a year older. We had grown through a year of getting to know each other, a year of strengthening the bond between us. So maybe this was okay. But my thoughts were swirling, and I just couldn't make up my mind.

"What are we doing?" I asked, challenging the situation. My mind was racing, thoughts in a million different places.

"We can stop if you want." He diverted his eyes, knowing I could see the desire in them, knowing he would be disappointed if we discontinued whatever this was. So I leaned over and kissed him firmly, hoping it would say everything I needed to say without the alcohol convoluting my words.

Things happened quickly after that. He pinned me down on the bed with his hips without breaking the kiss and I grabbed for his belt, eager to free the erection I could feel growing against the inside of my thighs. He kicked his shoes off, then his pants followed, leaving him in only his briefs. He reached around my back for the clasp of my bra and undid it in one quick pinch. Things were getting hot. Fast. I ran my hands up and down his back as he started to reach for my thong. I forgot I even still had it on. He pulled his lips from mine, and looked at me in a way that no one has ever looked at me. He loved me, and I loved him, and that was that.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" He asked, eagerly searching my eyes for a response, and I answered him without hesitation, with a soft, "yes."

His briefs were still on but not for long as I tugged them down his legs, taking in the sight of him. I'm not sure if it was the alcohol that made things happen so quickly or what, but before I knew it, he was pushing himself inside me, slowly, filling me to the brim. I winced at the intense pressure at first, but my body quickly adjusted to the size of him. His lips never left mine as he set the pace, thrusting slowly and passionately. My fingernails found themselves buried into the huge muscles of his shoulders as his hips pushed harder and harder. I let small groans escape my lips, but Tyler was much louder, moaning with each entry, so I tried to keep deepening our kisses in a futile attempt to quiet him a little.

"I love you," he whispered.

What? Did I really just hear those words? I was drunk, but I don't think I was hallucinating. But I had already made the decision to completely give myself to him, and I loved him too. He knew I did, so I decided to play with him a little.

"Yeah?" I whispered back, smirk plastered on my face.

"Yeah."

"What do you want?" I asked, nudging my nose with his.

"I want you, Charlotte," he answered, his forehead resting on mine.

With that, I pushed against his shoulders, rolling him over onto his back. He had quite the devilish grin on his face once he realized what I was doing, and my expression probably mirrored his as I straddled his hips. I leaned down, targeting his bottom lip, and tugged on it gently with my teeth as I lowered myself down on his length as he held it steady at the base. I stopped once the tip was just inside me, and then I pulled myself back up and pulled his hands above his head. His erection slapped down against his lower abs, and I grinded against it, slowly, teasing him. He groaned, knotting his fingers in my hair, until he couldn't take this game anymore.

"Fuck me." The order was startling coming from Tyler's mouth, but I didn't resist, not even for a second, and fucked him hard and fast until he climaxed. A stupid smile spread across his face, and I rolled off him and tucked myself under his arm against his chest.

"I love you too," I finally admitted.

…

"Is there a problem out here?" Sidney asked as he slipped through the heavy door, closing it behind him.

"Hey, why don't you mind your own business?" Tyler approached him, getting slightly too close to him for anyone's comfort.

"Tyler, don't. Come on," I pleaded, tugging on his arm. "Let's just go."

"I'm just making sure Charlotte's okay, and right now she looks pretty upset." Sid looked past Tyler to me, and I wasn't sure what to make of the look he gave me. He looked genuinely concerned, which I wasn't really expecting. We didn't know each other, and he looked like he was about to hit Tyler square in the jaw.

"Look man, you're wasting your time. She's fine, we're just talking." Tyler seemed to ignore the tears now rolling down my cheeks, sliding in make-up stained droplets.

Sid walked over to me, crashing his shoulder into Tyler's as he pushed past, and put his arm around me, ushering me away from the situation. But that was clearly the wrong move, as Sid was jerked back, just far enough from me so Tyler could punch him right in the mouth.


	3. Three

I screamed at Tyler to get away from him, and pushed him back with all the drunken force I had.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Ty?" I yelled, trying to hold him back. I glanced over my shoulder at Sid behind me, and watched as he wiped the gushing blood from his plump lower lip. The look in Tyler's eyes was something I hadn't seen in him before. I knew him to be protective, but he had just gone from pushing the limit to jumping over the edge in a matter of seconds. What was he thinking? How did this escalate so quickly? Why the hell was Sidney Crosby coming to my rescue? I didn't think I needed to be rescued; I just wanted to get away from Tyler - to ignore everything that had ever happened between us, but he just made everything worse.

"Fuckin' pussy," Tyler muttered under his breath in Sidney's direction and stormed back inside. Dumbfounded for a second, I turned my attention to Sid, whose gushing lip and nose were showing no signs of stopping.

"I'm so sorry, he's just… protective of me. This looks really bad. I'm so sorry." I kept apologizing, feeling responsible and guilty for the way Tyler had acted – for the way a switch had flipped in his mind and caused him to see red. Sid's top lip was completely split open toward the left corner of his mouth and a steady stream of blood made its way from his left nostril to his baby blue shirt, leaving dark stains.

"It's alright, I just wanted to see if you were okay." Sid held his face, trying to put pressure on the bridge of his nose, but it wasn't much help. "You ran out of there pretty quick."

"Yeah…yeah I'm fine. Tyler's just… I don't know, it's complicated. We should go take care of that, I live just across the river, I could get the driver back here and we can head over."

"Alright." His response was quick.

I called the driver and he was there in less than two minutes. He must've been waiting just around the corner. We climbed into the Escalade and I gave him my address and we were off. Not two seconds later did my iPhone start exploding with vibrations. A photo of Morgan from the New Years Eve party popped up on my screen, and my mind stirred again. I keep meaning to change the picture – to erase that night. And I didn't want to answer it, but I knew I had to.

"Hello?" I sighed, overwhelmed.

"What the hell happened? Tyler is completely belligerent, and I have no idea where you are. Is Sidney with you? His friends are here… are we supposed to entertain them? Did you leave?" Her stream of consciousness was a little unnecessary. I would've sent her a text letting her know I left but she didn't give me the opportunity to gather my thoughts.

"I don't know, Tyler hit Sidney and we're heading back to my place to clean him up. Just try to keep them calm, and if you or they want to leave, just call the driver. I'll text you his number. Sorry I just ran out of there… I don't know what I was doing. Tell Evgeni I'll see him tomorrow, and that I apologize." My response was as direct as it could be, but Morgan was a nosey drunk. A nosey person sober, actually.

"Charlotte, you still love Tyler, don't you." It wasn't a question.

"I have to go, I'll talk to you tomorrow." I hung up the phone quickly, and tried to ignore the prodding look that Sidney was giving me.

"Are they okay?" He asked, knowing his friend would have questions and that a drunken, violent Tyler was back in the club with them.

"Yeah, he's fine. Morgan will take care of him. I'll apologize tomorrow at morning skate, I feel awful. Tonight was fun until…" I trailed off, looking at the slowing trails of blood on Sid's face.

"It's not your fault, you weren't the one that nearly knocked my teeth out." Sid joked slightly, possibly attempting to lighten the mood, and it sort of worked.

A few minutes later we rolled up outside my brownstone. I realized I left my car in the Garden lot, but I'd just take a car over there tomorrow. I thanked the driver and told him that Morgan would call when they needed a ride home, and led Sid to the front door. I fumbled with the lock a bit, but once we were inside I flicked the lights on. I motioned for him to follow me upstairs, and he did so quietly, as we walked down the dimly lit hallway to my master bathroom. I put the toilet lid down and he took a seat, still holding his nose. I dug around under my sink for my first aid supplies, and after coming up with some gauze pads and alcohol swabs, I started to get to work.

I had never gotten a good look at his face before, but under the glow of the bulbs surrounding my large mirror, I got a chance to examine it as I began to wipe some of the blood away. His jaw was strong, cheekbones high, his eyes hazel. I couldn't tell if his nose was big already or if it was swollen from the blow, but it fit his face regardless. Once I cleared some of the blood, I could see the visible gash on his upper lip and tore open another alcohol swab.

"This is gonna hurt like a bitch…" I warned.

"It's okay. I've been hit harder." It seemed like he didn't think much about his response. He was a professional hockey player, after all, and these players are practically professional boxers if you ask me. I didn't say anything, just pressed the cool, soaked pad to his lip, and didn't relent when he winced and flinched back slightly, trying to avoid the stinging. I thought about apologizing, but didn't say a word either, just kept applying pressure, and gently wiping at the blood every now and then. It occurred to me that the cut wrapped around to the inside of his lip also. I had him hold the swab in place while I went downstairs to get some sea salt and a glass.

When I returned, I grabbed the Listerine off my counter and poured it into a Dixie cup.

"You're gonna hate me even more," I muttered, handing him the cup of acid-like mouth wash. While he swished, I filled the glass with the sea salt with warm water, and made sure the salt dissolved as much as it could. Sid spit out the Listerine, and I handed him the next glass. He took it without question and repeated the motions, spitting blood and salt water into my white, porcelain sink.

"Where'd you learn all this?" He asked, surprised at my caretaking abilities.

"I went to school for it," I answered, ignoring the surprised look on his face.

"Nursing?"

"Pre-med."

"Ah."

Sid examined his face in the mirror, leaning into it as he folded his lip up, checking out the entire wound. It wasn't that bad, it would heal and it would scar but the bleeding was under control at this point. I handed him a hand towel to dry his face a bit, and he gingerly dabbed around his mouth, trying not to stain the towel. There were more where that came from though.

"I don't think you'll need stitches, but keep rinsing it," I instructed.

"Thanks, you didn't have to do all this."

"Of course. I've already ruined this night and completely blurred all professional boundaries so it's the least I could do."

Sid was quiet, almost too quiet. Maybe it was just him, but his demeanor was calm, and we stood awkwardly in my bathroom for a moment before either of us could figure out what to do next.

"So, I'm gonna get changed…"

"Oh, yeah… uh, definitely. I'll wait downstairs."

I figured he could find his own way down to the couch, and stayed in the bathroom for a bit after he walked out. I braced myself against the counter surrounding the sink, leaning into the mirror, just staring. I couldn't believe I slipped up with Tyler. After everything… I couldn't do that again. No. I had made a promise to myself to never get mixed up with him like that again. And what did I do? Give him a reason to keep trying. I thought back to that night again, and my mouth went dry.

I went and grabbed my face wash out of my shower and threw my hair up in a messy bun high on top of my head. I began scrubbing the makeup from my eyes and cheeks, and splashed warm water across my face to rinse it off. I slipped out of my dress and shoes, and walked back into my room. I dug through the drawers of my dresser until I came up with yoga shorts and an old Boston University Hockey shirt. I slipped my LL Bean moccasins on and went downstairs to check on Sid.

"Hey so if you need a ride ba-" I started to say, walking towards his figure facing away from me, before I realized he was passed out. His feet were up on the ottoman, his head slumped slightly to one side. I decided not to wake him up, he must've been completely exhausted if he had managed to fall asleep in the ten minutes I was upstairs, and I had to be at their practice tomorrow so we would both be going to the same place anyway. I unfolded the white knitted blanket that was draped over the back of my brown leather couch and laid it on him, and returned to my room after shutting the downstairs lights off to fall fast asleep.


	4. Four

**Author's note****:** **Hey y'all, sorry this is my first note. I've been writing constantly and posting a couple chapters at a time, and I apologize for not introducing the story in my first chapter! I was just so eager to get it posted. But this story will be about Charlotte's complicated relationship with Tyler Seguin and the unexpected arrival of Sidney Crosby in her life. I'm beginning the story at a really tough time for Charlotte, so I'm sorry if things seem a little confusing, but I'm hoping the next couple chapters will clarify. I'm doing this on purpose, and I swear there's organization to the story haha. Once we get over that bump it'll start to pick up, I promise! This story is also completely fictional. There will be inaccuracies in ownership and sponsorship of teams, actual events, and games, and will be set in the 2012-2013 season, which is currently locked out. But hopefully this will be my way of coping with that… Anyways, I ****strongly**** encourage any reviews/feedback/comments, and definitely take them into consideration when I write! Thanks, and enjoy!**

I awoke with a jump as the alarm on my iPhone blared, signaling my need to get ready for a new day. Day 2 of this clinic would prove to be more hellish than the first, as I'd soon find out. I got ready, and after showering, drying my hair, applying my makeup, and getting dressed in a grey pencil skirt and coral button up tank top, headed downstairs. Halfway down, the smell of something on the stove caused my senses to prick, and I had completely forgotten about my unexpected houseguest. The kitchen came into view as I rounded the corner from the stairs, and found Sid cooking breakfast.

"Hey, sorry I didn't want to wake you last night, you passed out." I apologized, walking to the island bar in the middle of the room, and taking a seat.

"It's okay, I didn't realize how tired I was until I sat down," he explained, fidgeting with the eggs in the frying pan with a spatula. "I hope you don't mind that I just helped myself to your fridge, I don't know about you but I'm starving."

"Of course, I'm glad you figured out where everything was. So you cook, huh?" I asked, trying to keep a conversation going. I knew this must've been extremely awkward for him if it was pretty awkward for me.

"Yeah, you kind of have to when you live on your own."

"I hear you." I agreed, and started popping some raspberries into my mouth that Sid had put in a bowl on the granite counter. "How's your face doing?"

"It's alright," He turned around from the stove to face me, and I could see the bruising that had begun to spread from his lip to his nose. The cut wasn't so bad anymore, but it would take a little time to heal.

"It looks a little better. It'll clear up soon enough." I said.

Sid switched the heat off on the stove and started opening cupboards looking for plates.

"Far left," I instructed, and he pulled out two white plates, and spooned the eggs, divided evenly, onto both plates. "Thanks, this looks great." Sid took a seat next to me and we ate our breakfast quickly. We both kept an eye on the clock on the stove, which read 9:31. Morning skate started at 10:30, and Sid would have to leave here in 20 minutes if he was going to make it in time. I was supposed to be there too, but I could be fashionably late. I finished my breakfast and ran upstairs to grab my phone to call a driver, and picked it up to find several texts and a few missed phone calls. I read the texts and ignored the voicemails that waited with scolding tones, I'm sure.

'_Charlotte… PerezHilton.. now.'_ Chelsea's text read.

'_You better have a good explanation,'_ from Dad.

'_What the hell is wrong with you, Charlie? You jerk me around, and then have Sid Crosby spend the night at your place? Cute. Hope you enjoy the front page as much as you used to.'_ Tyler.

Morgan's text was next. '_I'm sorry Char. You know I love you. You don't deserve this, just ignore what they say about you.'_

Oh god. It must be pretty bad, and I did all I could to avoid looking at any social media site. I had to block it out, whatever it was. My heartbeat had quickened, my palms sweaty. I was becoming frantic but I tried to collect myself before calling the driver and returning downstairs.

"He'll be here in ten," I told Sidney, who had already cleaned up the dishes from breakfast. "Oh, you didn't have to clean up…"

"I wanted to, it's the least I could do after crashing on your couch and helping myself to your food." He smiled a little, and it surprisingly made my cheeks heat up a bit. He was wearing his undershirt and the same shorts from last night, and I noticed the bloodied blue button up lay draped on the arm of the couch. All of his equipment was still at the Garden, but I thought I could offer to swing by his hotel and grab him a couple changes of clothes for the day since he wouldn't get a chance to get over there until after the second skating session this afternoon.

"I could grab you a couple changes of clothes if you want… you know, from your hotel room. There won't be a lot of down time today so if you need me to, I can." I suggested, as he leaned against the island.

"Uh yeah, sure. That would be great."

"Alright, I have your hotel info, you can just leave a key with me and I'll get whatever you need." This wasn't creepy, right?

"Here, let me see your phone. I'll put my number in if you have any problems." I handed him my iPhone and he tapped in his number, then sent himself a text so he would have mine.

A honk came from outside, and I scrambled to grab my tan Dooney & Bourke purse by the door and we walked out to meet the driver. The drive to the Garden wasn't as awful as it was yesterday, as we had beaten the traffic and it was an awkward time. We were both silent, and I responded to some emails to look busy. Sid made small talk with the driver, and before we knew it, we were back at the arena. I gave Sid a head start when it came to walking inside, and went to my car quickly to put my purse in it. I still hadn't seen what all the commotion earlier was about, and didn't need to start any more rumors by walking side by side into the Garden with Sidney Crosby. I checked my reflection in the shiny exterior of my car and made sure I was presentable before walking in.

I walked past the locker rooms and went upstairs into the club seating where I knew I would find my father. I had to get whatever speech he was going to give me out of the way, and he would give me the most stern, straight forward talking to, so atleast I knew what to expect. I rode the escalator up, picking at my fingernails anxiously the entire way. I marched past the FanZones and closed concessions, and made my way to Dad's office, stealthily hidden at club level. You couldn't see it from inside the arena, but the office had a large one way window, so Dad could watch the game from his desk if he had to. I knocked on the door though it was slightly ajar, and heard a grunt from the other side that meant I should come in immediately and take a seat, so I did. On his desk were this morning's tabloids and Boston Globe, as well as printed off articles from various gossip sites. He flipped them so they weren't upside down as I stared at them, and they all had two common images- one of me and Tyler full on grinding and making out, and one of Sidney and I getting into the Escalade after the scuffle. The headline of one read 'Will Boston's Princess Ever Choose Her Prince?' while two others read, 'They're At It Again!' and 'Both Seguin and Crosby in One Night?'

I sighed, and avoided skimming the articles because I already knew what they said – that I was reverting to my old partying ways, that I was sleeping around with the entire Eastern Conference, and that Tyler's and my "complicated romance" was only getting more and more hard to understand.

"I ask you to take these guys to dinner. I don't say anything when you and Tyler start fooling around and I was nothing but supportive when…" his voice trailed, and my heart sank as I realized what he was talking about. "But I can't trust you with them, can I? Whatever is still going on with you and Tyler is your problem, but Sidney Crosby is the face of this league. I can't have you slandering his name too. I've given you more than enough chances to get your act together. Start acting like you deserve this."

"Is that it?" I asked, trying to get out of there as fast as possible.

"No funny business anymore, Charlotte. I can give this job to someone who actually wants it." It was a warning I had heard several times. I had been fired atleast 3 times in the past year, and each time it's the same. I fuck up, I get fired, Dad gets over it.

I nodded and left the office, feeling somewhat indifferent about the situation. I couldn't do much at this point, besides continue my work while the guys were practicing. My office was at the opposite side of the arena, back down by the locker rooms. It was more than a dungeon cell and less than a 5 star suite, but it was homey, and I was able to accomplish some paperwork and make some phone calls by the time practice was almost over.

I headed out with 20 minutes of practice left to get Sidney the clothes I had promised him. He left me a key when we parted ways this morning, and I felt awkward digging through his unpacked clothing, trying to find acceptable outfits for between practices. Atleast his suits were hanging up, so I grabbed some athletic shorts and an Under Armor shirt, as well as a Pens t-shirt and one of the suits hanging up and called it good. At least he would be well dressed if I had a say in it.

After practice, I met Sid right outside the locker room and made the hand off with his clothes, and told him to tell the rest of the guys that I would be waiting out in the hall for them to finish changing to give them directions. They had a break in between practices and could explore Boston, so I'd just give them maps and suggestions of where to go if they didn't already have plans. Fifteen minutes later they began trickling into the alleyway, and Tyler was among the first of them to come out. He avoided eye contact with me, knowing how pissed I was at him and that I had seen his text and the pictures circulating the city. He must've been embarrassed too, I knew the other guys from Boston must've already given him shit for it, and I'm sure he was the talk of the locker room now that he was out of earshot.

Once they had all assembled, I suggested some places to grab some food and sight see, mostly just giving them directions to Quincy Market. They all took off, knowing they would have to be back in two hours, and as I started to leave as well, Tyler stayed back and grabbed my arm, pulling me to the side of the alley.

"Did you fuck him?" He spat, still gripping my arm tightly.

"Let me go, Tyler." My demand was simple, yet he wouldn't budge.

"Did you?" He pressed. Was he jealous? And what if I had?

"No."

"Are you lying to me?"

"NO!" I yelled, and broke away from him. If he was trying to push me as far away from him as he could, it was working. I stormed out the double doors that led out into the gated parking lot, and got in my Audi before the tears began to fall. I backed up stupidly without looking behind me, and nearly hit Sid and his two friends Geno and what looked like Max Talbot. Sid came over to my driver's side window, and I had no choice but to roll it down, trying to choke back the deluge of emotion I felt washing over me.

He looked like he was going to crack a joke about my seemingly terrible driving skills until he saw the wave of panic and anger that had taken over my face since they had left our little meeting not five minutes ago.

"You okay?" He asked, and all I could focus on was the cut on his lip and the bruise around it that had darkened.

"No, I'm going home for a while. Are you guys all set for lunch and everything?" I asked, trying to turn the focus from myself.

"Yeah I think so…" Sid answered, clearly concerned.

"Alright. I'll see you guys later." I rolled my window up and headed out, giving them a small wave as I drove away from them.

I made it to my house in less than 15 minutes, which was a feat in and of itself. Once through the door, I collapsed on the couch, and the tears really began to flow. My cats Daisy and Oliver instantly flocked toward me once they sensed my mood, and nudged me and laid on my lap while I contemplated everything. I knew I was crying because I was angry – livid. I wasn't a pathetic crier. I cried when something truly made me upset, and it was usually out of anger and not sorrow. I couldn't believe the way Tyler was acting. I mean, I couldn't entirely blame him, but he really knew how to make me mad. And he would drag this out, make it worse than it had to be, because that's just how it was.

A soft knock hit the door, and it startled me at first. I wasn't expecting anyone, and quickly attempted to wipe my tears away as I headed towards the door. I peered through the peephole, and slightly panicked when I saw who was on the other side. I attempted to gather my composure, and slowly opened the door.

"Hey, is everything okay?" I asked, as Sid stood before me in the shorts and Penguins shirt I grabbed for him earlier.

"I came to ask you the same thing."

I sighed and stepped to the side, allowing him in. I returned to my spot on the couch and curled up in a ball, where my cats again flocked to me. Sid sat at the opposite end of the couch, turned slightly to the side so he was facing me. His hair was still damp from his after-practice shower, and I tried to avoid eye contact with him because my gaze would just shift to the wound on his lip, and it reminded me of everything complicated in my life. Like this. Why was he even here?

"How was your practice?" I asked, trying to make small talk. This was exceptionally awkward, and I really just wanted to be alone.

"Fine. The drills are hard but it's manageable," he admitted, answering my question and leaving us with an awkward silence yet again.

"Did anyone ask about your lip?"

"Yeah, but most of the guys had already heard about it somehow. They tried to make Seguin's life hell on the ice." That surprised me. I guess I hadn't watched any of the practice so I wouldn't know, but the Boston guys usually ended up taking Tyler's side. Maybe they knew that it was time for him to give it a break - to give _me_ a break.

"He had it coming," I agreed, actually enjoying the idea of them torturing Tyler in various ways during practice.

"What's going on between you two anyway? I don't mean to pry, but there's clearly something there." Sid jumped right into it. Just what I didn't want to talk about, but I suppose he did deserve to know most of the story since he took a punch for me.

"It's complicated, and would probably take me forever to try to sort out and tell in a way that would actually make sense…" It was true. It had taken me years to get into this situation, and it would take me several more to understand it.

"I've got time," Sid passively aggressively pressed, and I appreciated his curiosity.

I check down at my white Nixon watch. "You've got less than an hour. Trust me, it's really not that important…" I would probably just get all upset again, and I had finally calmed down a bit.

"Try me," Sid challenged.

So I gathered my thoughts, and began the story at the most logical point I could think of to call the beginning.


	5. Five

**A/N: This is kind of a long one, but I hope it's worth it. Please review! I want to know what you all think about this story. I haven't written like this in a very long time, so suggestions are helpful!**

"Tyler and I have been best friends since he got here. He got drafted when he was 17 and lived with my parents when he first moved to Boston." I began, trying desperately to organize this in my head.

Sid looked at me reassuringly, and I continued.

"And even though I was at Boston University, I spent a lot of time at home. I was 19, so there's a two-year age difference between us, and I don't know. We just had something. But he had a girlfriend at home, and I was really busy with school anyway so things didn't really happen until he apparently broke up with his girlfriend around New Years last year. And we were drunk and stupid and somehow… wow I can't believe I'm telling you this… Are you sure you want to know?" I was apprehensive about telling him the rest of the story. I didn't even know him, really. I felt comfortable with him though, and it was a comfort I hadn't felt in a long time. And I owed him.

"Yeah, I mean, if you're okay with telling me. You can trust me." He confirmed the trust I wanted to feel in him. He was missing out on having lunch with his friends and exploring the city to sit on my leather couch while Daisy wandered over to his lap and started nudging at his chin. She always found a way to harass any guy that came over. Damn cat.

"Well… I got pregnant. I don't even know how but I did, and it was all Boston talked about for a while because there were rumors and I started to show in pictures, and it was a disaster. I never confirmed anything to anyone but my family and best friends. But Tyler and I had decided to go through with everything and keep the baby and we were going to make it work…And then…"

"Yeah?" Sid prompted, as I paused for a second. I didn't talk about this. Ever. Only people close to me knew about what happened and I had just started to accept it until last night.

"I was asleep one night, in the beginning of May, right after I graduated from BU, and I woke up because I had the worst stomach cramps I had ever felt. And there was…blood - a lot of it. And I knew then. I knew it. I lost the baby after about 5 months… It was horrible, and Tyler tried to be understanding and there for me but I completely pushed him away. We didn't talk for months after that, and last night was the first time we had really been around each other since everything happened." I could feel the tears pushing at my eyelids again, but I suppressed them.

Sid looked at me, then switched to giving the cat attention while trying to figure out what to say in response. I'm sure he had heard rumors about the situation. Everyone had. The daughter of one of the most important people in the NHL got pregnant and miscarried the Boston Bruins' newest star. But it was a topic that people knew not to touch, especially around Tyler. I was definitely more open about it than he was, and the anger he carried with him every day was what made it obvious that he had never dealt with what happened.

"I'm so sorry," he finally said. His brow furrowed. "I'm sorry I got mixed up in that last night, I really didn't mean to… I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Someone so young shouldn't have to go through all of that."

"Thanks. I mean, things happen and there's nothing you can do about it sometimes, you know?" I never knew what to say. People generally didn't ask me about anything related to that. It was a tip-toe subject, and Sid didn't know. He probably didn't know any better than to ask why Tyler had been so ridiculous last night and he deserved to know why he got punched in the face. "Tyler's just always been very protective of me. I guess that didn't change, I think it got worse. He's a good guy, really. But we really messed up whatever we had, and I don't know if anything will ever be the same."

"Yeah, I can understand that," he said softly.

"Did you really come over to see if I was okay?"

"Yeah, you looked pretty upset when you were leaving and I wanted to make sure he didn't hurt you or anything… And I really wanted to ask you to lunch, but that just seems kind of silly now."

I could feel myself blush a little. I had just told him the most important thing about me, and I had only known him for a day. My heartbeat uncontrollably quickened, but I calmed myself down.

"Lunch?" I repeated. "We have to get back to the Garden soon, I don't think we have time to go get something now." Sid's eyes flashed with a slightly disappointed look, and I had ignored the pains in my stomach, indicating my hunger. But now that food was mentioned, it was all I could think about. "We could make something here though." I didn't want to shut him down.

And for the second time today, Sid insisted he make lunch while I sat at the island. We chatted about practice and what life back in Pittsburgh is like, how I met Morgan and Chelsea at BU, and why I had studied to go to medical school as he assembled sandwiches and toasted them on the top of the stove. I didn't get to know many of the players outside Boston, and rarely anyone outside the NHL organization at that. Morgan and Chelsea had been there since I was 18, and we had gotten so close, even as attention toward me skyrocketed. I was reluctant to let new people in. But it was refreshing meeting someone new and carrying on a natural conversation with Sid. I told him a lot about my family and my dad, and how he has given me more chances than I deserve after my old partying ways got the best of me. I didn't act like a spoiled brat anymore though, not that I ever really did, but I had really been trying to get my act together until this Tyler drama happened, and it really bothered Dad. He would never really do anything about it but it was obvious that he was less than impressed by the attention the media had given us and he hated the blurred line between professional and casual that we had completely crossed. But I wasn't conversationally narcissistic, and even though I explained the complications of my life to Sid, he told me a lot about growing up in Nova Scotia, and the sacrifices his parents made to get him where he is today. I understood completely, and he came more and more out of his shell and talked about the pressure that was constantly on his shoulders and the duties and challenges of being the team captain, even with his pesky head injury that wouldn't seem to give him a break.

Sid was a normal guy – a shy guy at first, but completely normal. He kept talking in between bites of his sandwich and occasionally he would laugh a sort of high chuckle at my poor attempts at sarcasm. It was finally time to head back to the Garden for afternoon practice, and I offered to drive him because I assumed he had gotten a driver to bring him to my house. He happily accepted and we drove back, continuing our small talk.

The rest of the day dragged on. I sat at my desk for most of practice, working on some paper work and reorganizing a lot of my files. Even though it was Sunday, I had to sit at the Garden all day in case something popped up with one of the players. I guess my unofficial title was Hospitality Director at this point. Once practice was over, the guys met me in our usual spot, crammed in the alleyway at the bottom of the stadium. I opted out of going to a Bruin's team dinner and decided to just head back home once I had gotten all the guys situated and oriented on where they needed to be. It had been a long 24 hours, and I was ready to throw on some yoga pants and watch Footloose with my cats. Such an exciting life, right? I thought it was best to take it easy, and best to avoid Tyler as much as possible.

Days of practices and dinners and appearances and Children's Hospital visits swirled by, and finally it was Friday. Sid had come over for lunch every free day he had, and I'm not sure if it was a good thing or not that my 22nd birthday was on the last night of the clinic. But an invitation was extended to him and all of the players to a huge dinner at my parents' house, then an after party at my house. Fifteen of them had confirmed they'd be there, and not one of them was Tyler, so hopefully I wouldn't have to worry about him for the night. My mom called me the night before, asking if I'd wanted to help her cook and I jumped at the chance. She was an amazing cook, who had learned from her mother, who had learned from my great grandmother. I had sort of caught on to the whole thing, but I knew I had a lot more to learn. On Friday around noon I went back home to Wellesley, back to the house I grew up in with my parents and my older sister Allison and younger brother Braedon. Allison was out living her own dream in Los Angeles, while Braedon was anxiously waiting to start his first year at Boston University. He was scouted in high school and had offers from Michigan and North Dakota beginning his sophomore year. But now, as a freshman, starting center, he would have a lot to prove after deciding to stay in Boston.

I walked through the front door and the house already smelled amazing. Cheesecake. My mom was absolutely famous for her cheesecake. I wandered through the entry way and the downstairs living room into the kitchen, following the smell of the dessert in the oven. I found my mom chopping vegetables on the big open island, wearing her cat apron and humming to herself. She hadn't even heard me come in until she glanced up at the dual stoves to my left, and dropped her knife, running to me as she wiped her hands on her covering.

"Oh Charlie sweetie!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around me.

"Hi Mom," I smiled, squeezing her tightly. It had actually been a little while since I had been home, so it was nice to see her after a couple of weeks. Her comforting face always put me at ease. "It smells amazing in here. What can I help you with?" I asked, eager to get working on something. Cooking was like therapy for us Williams girls.

"I'm chopping veggies for the roasted vegetable pasta, but you can get working on the chicken." I followed her as she led me back to her workspace on the dark granite island, and instructed me on how to make the marinade and prepare the meat.

After that, I did all of the other tasks she asked of me, while we caught up with each other. We talked every day on the phone, but there was still so much to catch up on in person. I told her about the Tyler and Sidney situation, and she got really quiet.

"Don't go getting Sidney Crosby involved in all of that drama, Charlotte." She never called me Charlotte. Her tone was serious, her eyes fixed on mine. "Am I clear?"

"Yeah, mom. Don't worry, we're just friends."

"You know what he is to this league. He's a private person, and with your reputation with all these gossip sites or whatever, it's the last thing he needs."

Why was she defending him – acting like she knew him and what's best for him? It was almost offensive, that she had still not trusted my judgment completely, and even though I had given her every reason not to for the past 22 years, she had nothing to worry about.

"I know, it's okay. He's leaving tomorrow anyway." I wanted desperately to change the subject, but mom did it for me when she asked me to check on the contents of the oven.

Just before six o'clock rolled around, I went upstairs to my room and got ready. I knew I had left a knee-length ivory colored dress here, and had a ton of makeup and hair supplies laying around, so I got to work. I went back downstairs, and Braedon had finally emerged from his Xbox den in the basement. I hugged him because I had forgotten he was even home, and frowned at his boy stench. I took a step back. He looked taller, even though I was wearing four inch navy heels, and his dirty blonde hair was disheveled, his face scruffy.

"Please tell me you're going to shower before everyone gets here," I scorned, but what had I honestly expected… He groaned and headed upstairs to hopefully do what I asked.

Mom had set the table and all of the food was ready, and people started trickling in after having carpooled with drivers over here. Dad worked the bar out on the back patio, while the guys sipped at their whiskey and mostly talked to Braedon about hockey and school. Mom and I greeted everyone at the door. I saw Sid walking up the driveway, and Mom gave me a quick look once she saw my eyes light up. Sid, dressed in a white button up and tan shorts, approached us, and I introduced him to my Mom.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Williams," Sid said through a smile.

"Oh please, call me Anne!" She exclaimed, hugging him. _Good god._

"Dad's out back with all the other guys making drinks and stuff, we'll probably eat in 20." I told him, and he headed straight back through the house to the patio.

I helped mom get all the food out, and we laid it out buffet style in the kitchen. There was chicken, steak my dad had thrown on the grill, pasta, salad, and some French bread. Everyone lined up and helped themselves, and sat back down at the table. The dinner was pleasant, and team distinctions were blurred, which was refreshing. Just a bunch of guys having dinner with the host of the clinic. Everyone chatted about hockey, and of course Dad talked about Braedon's promising career the whole meal. But finally, dessert time was here, and the cheesecake, chocolate covered strawberries, and profiteroles made an appearance. The guys all joined Dad for another drink, and once 10 o'clock came, I began trying to herd everyone towards the cars waiting in the driveway.

I had let Morgan and Chelsea take a key to my house to get ready for the party. God only knows what they had done to it, but we were about to find out. I was the last person to leave my parents' house, and after hugging them goodbye, set off to Cambridge with Braedon in tow.

When we got there, the guys were already there, and Morgan and Chelsea were working on entertaining them. It was dark, strange glowing lights were positioned around, and the music was blasting from my living room speakers throughout the entire house. There were two Gatorade tubs filled with Jungle Juice, a keg, and handles of vodka on the counter. _Here we go_, I thought. I had given them money for alcohol, but I didn't think they would go this far. They had invited some of our other girl friends, so the guys wouldn't feel so awkward, and everyone seemed to be mingling just fine. Braedon ran off and the guys welcomed him with slaps on the back and a solo cup. He would be fine, he knew how to handle himself.

My eye caught Sid, who was being pestered by a couple girls I don't remember ever meeting before. He looked clearly uncomfortable, clutching his red cup of beer, and scanning the crowd every few seconds. I rolled my eyes and walked toward him, and once he saw me he was clearly relieved. I went up to him and hugged him in front of the two girls gawking over him, and their expressions quickly turned sour. They stormed off to find some other hockey player to harass, and Sid released me.

"Thanks for that, they kept asking if I scored baskets…"

"Are you kidding me?" I asked in disbelief. Where did Morgan and Chelsea find these girls?

"I wish. They were driving me crazy."

"I'm really sorry, I have no idea who they are."

"It's okay. Do you want a drink? It looks like Morgan and Chelsea really stocked up…" Sid asked, looking through the half wall that divides the living room and kitchen to the counter covered in alcohol. "Did they think the Gatorade jug was funny?"

"I have no idea… but sure, I'll just have a beer."

I followed him through the kitchen where he pumped the keg and poured me a cup full.

"Thanks!" I yelled over the music, and suddenly, WOP came on, and Chelsea grabbed my arm and dragged me up on top of my counter. When had she gotten up there? This was our song though, I couldn't disappoint her, so I took a big gulp of my beer and joined her. Soon the counter was full, and we danced along with the song. Chelsea was sloppy, and obviously already drunk, while I clearly hadn't had enough. The song ended and I left my beer and hopped down to get some Jungle Juice.

After that things got rowdy. The living room furniture had been pushed to the side and that's where the dancing took place from then on. I was just dancing with all of my friends at first, a couple of them dancing with some guys, but my eyes made quick contact with Sid's as he leaned with his back against the wall talking to Geno. We both looked away, but when I looked back, I found his eyes on me again. Geno had put his arm around Sid's shoulder, and looked like he was trying to talk his confidence up. And sure enough, he started walking towards me. I pretended not to notice, but it was hard, and Morgan gave me a look, signaling that he was coming up behind me. I waited for him to get close enough to say something, and I turned around.

"Do you, uh, wanna dance?" He asked, leaning into my ear.

"Sure," I yelled back over the music.

And we danced for the rest of the night. My friends were ecstatic – amazed that I was dancing with the biggest player in the league, and that he wasn't Tyler. I was drunk, but sober enough to have my head on straight, so I kept the skankiness down. I was honestly really nervous. I knew people would talk about it, but I wasn't doing anything wrong. We were just having a good time.

Finally things started to wind down around 2. I had stopped drinking at 1, but I checked the alcohol contents in the kitchen and everything was gone. Damn. People started leaving, getting in cabs and hired Escalades and Range Rovers. Once enough people had left I could assess the damage done to my house, but I decided to save the clean up for tomorrow.

Sid lingered for a bit, while Morgan and Chelsea and Braedon collapsed on each other on the couch and out of sight. Sid was standing at the door as I waved to people, and when he was the last one left besides my ridiculous best friends and no-longer-jailbait brother, I closed the door.

"Thanks for having me over and everything. Your family is great. I had a really good time." He said, leaning against the carved white frame of the front entrance, hands awkwardly shoved in his pockets.

"Of course, they really liked you. You're always welcome," I laughed a little, obviously feeling a little uncomfortable.

"It kind of sucks I have to go back to Pittsburgh, this week went by really fast." His tone was disappointing, and actually made my chest tighten a bit. We had become fast friends this week, even after the rocky start.

"Yeah, I know. I'm really sorry about Tyler, he's horrible," I apologized, thinking back to the first night they had been here.

"No don't be. I can deal with him on the ice this season."

"Please do," I rolled my eyes. "He could use a shove or two."

Sid smiled a half smile, the left side of his mouth curling upwards.

"Well I should get going. I just wanted to say thanks for everything, I actually had a great time in Boston."

"Yeah of course. I'm glad you had a good time! Is your driver here?"

He nodded, and I quickly hugged him, mostly because I didn't know what else to do. My arms just gravitated around his neck, and when we released, he didn't quite let me go, and his hands lingered on my hips. There was a pause before I figured out what was happening, and before I knew it, Sidney's lips were pressed against mine in the sweetest, most sincere lock I had experienced in a very long time. He pulled away, and my hands found themselves cupping the back of his neck, pulling him back to me so I could kiss him and mean it.

"Goodnight," I said softly when our lips parted.

"Goodnight, Charlotte." Sid smiled and let me go, and I opened the door for him to see him out. He climbed in the car and lifted his hand in a quick wave, which I mirrored, before closing the door and driving away.

_Did I really just kiss Sidney Crosby?_


	6. Six

**A/N: Thanks for reviewing! Hopefully you guys are enjoying it, and I'm sure you're probably feeling like there are a few kinks in the story but they'll work out as it moves along. Keep up the reviews and let me know if there's anything you'd like to see in upcoming chapters!**

I woke up the next morning on top of my comforter, still in my dress and heels, and with both cats sleeping on my back. Atleast Chelsea had thought to put the cats in my room where they wouldn't be trampled. I got up slowly, waking up the slumbering creatures and checked my phone. Nothing. That means it was a good night, right? And it was only 9:45, I hadn't completely overslept. I got myself going and showered, and after putting on some Lululemon pants and a crop top, I made my way downstairs. As I descended the steps, I could hear voices downstairs, and prepared for the damage from the night before.

But I had not expected what I found when I got downstairs. The place was spotless. It was cleaner than before the party, and as my bare feet padded along the polished, dark hardwood floor, I could hear deep voices emanating from the living room, along with some noise from the television. I rounded the corner and found Sidney and Braedon watching and dissecting a Bruins/Capitals game from last season on the flat screen that hung above my fireplace. It was an interesting sight, and I had a second to take it in before they acknowledged my presence. Usually Tyler was the one to do this with Braedon. When Tyler lived with us at our parents' house, he was like the brother Braedon never got to have, and I ruined that for him. Not completely – I mean they still had a pretty good relationship, but it was separate from me, so it was nice seeing him sit there going over plays with Sidney in my own house.

"Good morning," Sid said through a smile, looking up at me from the couch. Suddenly I was a little self conscious of my appearance. My hair was still wet and I didn't have any make up on, but I'm not quite sure what he would expect coming over this early anyway.

"Hey. Did you guys clean everything up?" I asked, looking around to see if they had missed anything. Nothing.

"Yeah, Sid came over this morning and actually had Chelsea and Morgan picking up trash. It was great," Braedon laughed, the irony of the always perfectly primped girls cleaning up a huge mess a little shocking. "But of course they had to go home and shower immediately." Of course. They were incapable of getting dirty, and I'm sure they were mortified to be around Sid while they were still in their clothes and makeup from last night. Atleast Braedon had showered and changed, and was wearing a white t-shirt and khaki shorts he left in the guest room the last time he stayed here. Sid also had a white t-shirt on, but he wore his Penguins baseball hat and some athletic shorts.

"You really didn't have to do that, you have a plane to catch in a few hours. I would've cleaned up," I protested. I really wished he hadn't come over here and cleaned up. I felt embarrassed that I was passed out in my party clothes while he was down here trying to rid the house of the remnants of last night.

"No it's okay, I wanted to. I was up early and I wanted to say goodbye before I left. It's the least I could do after everything you've done this week." Sid sounded happy to have stopped by, and I had to admit I was glad to see him. Surprised, but glad.

"I didn't do that much but thanks, seriously. You can come clean anytime," I joked, and went to take a seat next to him.

We sat and watched the game, one I clearly remember. It was toward the end of January, a week before Tyler's birthday. They blew the game as the visiting team, and though Tyler wouldn't admit it, he hadn't been able to clear his head and separate what was going on with us from what was happening the ice. I had made the mistake of calling him earlier in the day. I usually only called after the game had ended, because I never wanted to psych him out or make him anxious, but I had missed my period and didn't know what else to do, so I dialed his number out of panic. I needed comfort and reassurance from my best friend, but also needed to let him know that I was probably pregnant, and it was obviously his.

I remember the way he was silent on the other end for a while. I had thought maybe he had hung up, but I could hear his steady breathing in between my own sobs. The only words he said were, "Okay. I have to go, I love you."

Milan Lucic told me Tyler had driven his hand through a wall that night after the game, and after seeing his bruised and torn up knuckles when they returned from their road trip, I believed him.

I watched Tyler completely off his game, knowing I was to blame, and watched the Capitals gain their 5-3 victory all over again. Braedon gave me a look, signaling his knowledge of what happened that game and that he was sorry I had to sit through it. They had probably expected me to sleep til noon, like every other morning-after when I didn't have to work. A lump settled in my throat, but I choked it down, and offered to get the boys some breakfast.

I got up and once I was in the kitchen, rested my elbows on the granite island and ran my hands through my hair. _Deep breaths_. All of a sudden, a rush of anxiety had spread over me. I shouldn't get that uncomfortable and choked up watching Tyler play, no matter what game it was. I also needed to figure this whole Sidney Crosby thing out. Why did he clean up my house and why was he hanging out with my brother? Why was he here? I appreciated it, I really did. And then I thought about the kiss last night. Oh god I had almost forgotten about that. Was he expecting something today? I went through the fridge and pulled out a big container of Greek yogurt and some berries and orange juice, then went to the pantry to grab some granola.

"Do you guys want eggs?" I asked, just loud enough for my voice to carry into the next room.

"Sure," they chimed in unison.

I got to work frying some eggs and making toast, then laid everything out on the island for them to come and grab. I picked at the berries while they sat and nearly gorged themselves, talking about each other's plans for this upcoming season. I just stood and watched as they sat at the bar seats. They had clearly become fast friends, and it was settling to know that Braedon had someone like Sid to talk to. Braedon always wanted to improve his game, and what better person to ask for advice from than Sidney Crosby.

They finished and I took their dishes, putting them in the sink to deal with later. They helped me clear the countertop as they still continued to talk.

"Do you have a ride to the airport?" I asked, irked that he actually had to leave to go back to Pittsburgh.

"Yeah, I was just gonna have a car take me," he answered.

"I'll take you if you want," I offered, thinking it was the least I could do after he led the cleaning brigade through my house.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, of course. It's the least I could do," I smiled as I said this, reflecting his words from earlier. "What time do you want to leave?"

"We should probably leave in a few, I don't know what Saturday traffic is like and I still have to check out of my hotel." I knew his flight was around 1 and it was 10:45 now, so I agreed that we definitely needed to get going.

Braedon decided to come with us as we got into my Audi. Sid sat up front while Braedon sat behind me, asking Sid questions the entire time. I liked where this was heading for them, especially since Sid was being so candid about the realities of playing in the NHL. Tyler would never talk about anything but the glory, because he didn't want to "scare" Braedon, but I'm not sure what his real motivation for that was.

We stopped at Sid's hotel and Braedon went up with him to grab his bags and check out while I sat in the car. About ten minutes later they emerged from the lobby and walked quickly to my car, as people passed knowing glances at Sidney. When the bags were in the trunk and everyone was in, we headed to Logan Airport. It took us about twenty minutes to get there. Traffic was surprisingly light, and I pulled up right at the Jet Blue terminal.

Sid and Braedon hopped out and I followed, as Sid pulled his bags out of the trunk. Lugging that equipment around must get tiring, but once he checked it he wouldn't have to worry I guess. I figured he usually flied on private jets too, but it was a pretty small plane to Pittsburgh and a few of the other guys from Pittsburgh were on the same flight too.

"Are you sure you have everything?" I asked, sounding like a parent.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

He and Braedon said their goodbyes, and exchanged numbers. "Feel free to text me anytime, man. I might not always get back to you right away but I do my best," Sid said to Braedon. Clearly they had done a lot more talking before I had woken up. Braedon got back in the car, this time in the passenger's seat, and probably started texting his buddies about what had happened.

"You too," Sid said to me. I gave him a quick look, not quite sure what he was talking about at first. "Text me anytime," he clarified.

"Oh… okay. Don't be a stranger either," I challenged, smiling slightly devilishly.

He wrapped his huge arms around me in an unexpected embrace, where I had the chance to take in his sweet scent and feel the firm muscles of his back. He kissed my cheek quickly before completely releasing me.

"Have a safe flight," I wished him. "Let me know when you make it to Pittsburgh if you think of it."

"I will. See you later, Charlotte."

"Bye, Sid."

I got back in the car and watched him walk through the revolving door.

"Don't say it," I snapped at Braedon, who just had that look on his face.

"I won't say anything," he responded, and went back to his iPhone.

I drove back to my house so Braedon could get a few of his things he had and then I drove him back to Wellesley. I stopped in and talked to my mom for a bit, and we agreed to get lunch on Wednesday in the city. I hadn't told her much about the party or the new developments with Sid, because I figured I would need a few days to think it over myself.

I headed back to Cambridge around 2, and hadn't been in the door for more than five minutes before I got a text from Sid.

_2:32 PM_

_- Made it to Pittsburgh – barely. Just landed. Hope your day is going well._

I waited a minute before responding. I didn't want to sound too eager.

_2:34 PM_

_- Glad you're alive. It's okay, just got back from taking Braedon home. _

_2:35 PM_

_- He's a good kid. I wish I could've hung out with him more._

_2:37 PM_

_- You guys hit it off pretty well, huh? _

_- Yeah, I mean I remember being his age. _

_- Ha, me too. Feels like forever ago._

_- Tell me about it. I gotta get my bags and get home, I'll talk to you later though. _

_- Sounds good. I'm glad you made it back safe._

My head spun a little. Sidney Crosby. It had been no one but Tyler for the past three years. First best friends, then in a relationship, then to this awkward limbo we were in. He was the closest thing I had to a real boyfriend – a real relationship. Hell, he wanted to get married. And there were a couple guys in high school, but that had gone nowhere fast – same with the random college hook ups. Not that I expected this to go anywhere. Actually, I didn't know where this was going. Sidney Crosby was texting me. And how could I forget that he kissed me last night? And on the cheek today to say goodbye? Surely those weren't random gestures. But he was in Pittsburgh now, and I couldn't allow my mind to be there with him.

Sunday was a lazy day on the couch with my two best friends and chick flicks. They asked me about Sid and Tyler, and I really didn't know what to tell them. I tried changing the subject every time they brought it up, but they knew me better. It had been a long week, and I wasn't excited about going to work as I drove to the Garden Monday morning. It was raining and no one in Boston could figure out how to drive a car or something. When I finally got there, Dad had left a bunch of stuff on my desk for me to do. It was days like this when I wished I reported to someone else besides my Dad, but that would also mean less freedom so I just dealt with it.

Around lunchtime, a knock on my door startled me out of the groove I had set myself in at responding to emails. I got up and answered the door, shocked to see a delivery guy standing there with a huge bouquet of pink peonies.

"Charlotte Williams?" The guy asked. Clearly he knew it was me, because someone had to let him into the building and show him where my office was.

"Yeah," I sighed, reluctantly taking them.

"Have a nice day," the guy said, turning away.

I didn't bother reading the note. I set them on my desk and stormed down the hall and through the door to the arena, running on pure adrenaline as I made my way to the glass at the ice. There was a free skate/scrimmage today for the Bruins, and I banged my small fist on the glass panel closest to Tyler. His back was to me, and I'm not sure if he didn't hear me or what, so I started yelling his name. Brad and Milan had that look in their eyes, trying to warn Tyler that I was behind him. He whirled around, fear in his eyes as I stood there with my hands on my hips. I motioned with my left hand for him to get his ass off the ice immediately and come talk to me. I met him at the open rink door in the back left corner, and he removed his helmet before stepping off the ice.

"What?" He asked, clearly irked that I had interrupted his ice time. He was huge on his skates compared to me. Dressed in his gear and a few inches taller, he was massive compared to my small frame, even with four-inch heels. I stood there in my grey pencil skirt and teal button up tank top, crossing my arms. I tried to look intimidating, but I was really just trying to cover up the goose bumps that were now making themselves visible on my arms as they erupted across my skin.

"I'm not sure what you're trying to do, but it's not going to work, Tyler. I've told you I need space, and after what you pulled last week, I can't be around you. So don't try to win me over with flowers, those peonies won't work on me anymo-" I didn't even get to finish my word before he interrupted me.

"Flowers," he stated, his face knotted in a confused expression. And it clicked for me then.

"…oh god," I muttered, looking down to avoid his now furious eyes.

"_He_ sent you peonies?" He probed, moving his head to try to meet my eyes with him. I felt absolutely ridiculous standing in front of him right now. _I should've read the note. _He clearly was implying Sid when he said 'he' in such a slithering tone.

"No, I… I don't know. You didn't send them?" I asked, my cheeks heating as I became flushed with embarrassment. If only Tyler wasn't so conveniently located every day, I would've had to actually put more effort into seeing him if he didn't skate here when they weren't practicing at Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington.

"No, I didn't send you flowers, Charlotte. Did you expect me to? Do you expect me to keep trying to get you back? Because I can't chase you forever. You have a new toy to play with now, so go give him a call and thank him for your favorite flowers," Tyler spat the words out, taking a step closer to me as he did. He put his helmet on and skated off before I had a chance to craft a response, and I walked back to my office faster than I had walked to the ice.

I got to the flowers on my desk, and pulled the note out and opened the envelope.

_Charlotte,_

_Hopefully you like peonies, they looked like the ones in the painting in your living room. Have a good Monday, maybe these will take your mind off the rain._

_- Sidney_

Oh my god.

There was a big abstract painting of peonies in my living room that Chelsea had painted for one of her final pieces at her art show before graduation, but I wouldn't have thought he would actually have noticed it. And he knew it was raining in Boston? I tried to slow my thoughts a bit. It was a nice gesture – a very nice gesture. I just couldn't believe I had jumped to conclusions and embarrassed myself in front of Tyler like that. Now Tyler knew that Sidney had sent me flowers, and that I was still thinking about him and how he used to send me pink peonies every week. I calmed down a bit, and gathered up the courage to call Sid to thank him for the flowers. What else was I supposed to do? I didn't have his address, so I couldn't return the favor, and I don't think flowers are his style.

It rang a standard three times before he picked up, and my heart quickly skipped as his voice sounded through the phone.


	7. Seven

My mom and I had changed our plans, so I was on my way to meet her at Blue Ginger in Wellesley for lunch. She didn't want to go all the way into the city and I felt like leaving it, so I met her around 12:30. She was already waiting for me when I got there, and we were seated at a table for two at the window. I ordered an iced tea, as did my mom, and we began chatting about the past few days. I started by thanking her again for hosting all those hockey guys for dinner, I knew it took a lot to prepare for them to come over. Then she asked about the party afterwards. I hadn't been explicit about what was going on at my place after dinner, but she knew me, and she knew it wasn't this small gathering I had made it out to be. I told her the truth, and she asked if Sidney was there. I couldn't lie to her. But I told her that he kissed me, and she started fuming again, the way she had that night before dinner.

"Charlotte, I'm sure you know that was a dumb idea," she didn't ask, she stated.

Why was it dumb? "It wasn't some trashy thing, he really just kissed me goodnight." I tried to defend Sidney, and myself. But it wouldn't work so easily.

"After everything that's happened, you should really try to work things out with Tyler. He took care of you. He bought a ring. I don't know why you had to go and make a mess of it, and just push him away. He was like my other son, and I know your father feels the same way." All of a sudden, this conversation had gone south. I don't even know how we had already gotten into this, but my mother would always try to get me back with Tyler for as long as she lived. And that killed me. I decided to not even bring up the flower incident, and tried to drop it all together after trying to defend myself one more time.

"Mom, you don't even know everything that happened with Tyler," I paused, thinking of the mess it had been at the beginning of the summer. "And yeah, Tyler bought a ring, but he never gave it to me. He never asked me. So don't keep guilt tripping me into crawling back to him. Sid's a nice guy, and he's back in Pittsburgh now, so we can just forget about the whole thing." I was exhausted, so tired of trying to get her to drop the relationship situation, but she never would.

Conversation was light after that, and Mom didn't say anything else about Sidney and Tyler all lunch. I finished the last of my crab cake and my mom finished her sushi and we left. We decided to do some shopping downtown before parting ways, and I brought my new clothes home to hang in the closet. As if I needed any more.

There were text conversations with Sidney that I had left out of the conversation with my mom, but nothing too serious. Just a casual 'how is your day going?' and a 'have a good night' here and there, and the phone conversation I had with him after I received the flowers was nothing too exciting. I left the Tyler incident out of it and thanked him and told him how thoughtful it was. The normal things you should say to someone when they give you flowers - not that Tyler used to send me peonies every week, or that I had accused him of sending them to me. Sid sounded overjoyed that I liked them, and I quickly hoped they wouldn't become a regular thing. Atleast maybe he could switch up the kind of flowers.

The interactions I had with Sidney played over in my head for the next few weeks. Preseason started for both the Bruins and the Penguins, so things got really busy. Sid and I had maintained our texting relationship into the preseason, something that really surprised me considering how busy he would be. I sat down on a Wednesday night to watch a game between the Penguins and the Hurricanes, where the Pens ended up sweeping the Canes in a 4-1 victory. I decided to text Sid about an hour after the game, just to congratulate him. Suddenly my phone started ringing soon after my message had sent, and his name displayed on the screen. I answered it quickly - maybe too quickly. _Ugh, I probably seemed too eager._

"Hello?" I tried to sound surprised.

"Hey, sorry I accidently hit call instead of text, but I figured it would be better to hear your voice so I didn't hang up," Sid awkwardly admitted. It was sweet though.

"Oh, that's okay. I just wanted to tell you congratulations. I watched the game, you guys played really well."

"Thanks, I'm just trying to leave here now. I got out of some press and now I'm just headed home." He sounded appropriately distracted, as he was probably trying to make his way out of the building without being disturbed.

"That's good, are you just gonna take it easy tonight?" I asked, trying to keep this conversation going. I hadn't heard his vioce in about a month, and I was intending on hearing it as long as I could tonight.

"Yeah, that's the plan anyway. Damn, I miss talking to you every day," Sid revealed, referring to the week of the clinic.

"...Me too. Are you at your car yet?" I heard the purr of his engine through the line as he fired it up.

""Yup, just got in. No incidents yet," Sid said, I'm sure hoping that no one would approach him as he tried to drive away. He had spoken too soon though, and a few moments later he told me he needed to put the phone down to sign a few autographs. I could hear bits of his conversations with the fans that came up to his window, but he returned to the line a couple minutes later after telling them he needed to leave. "Spoke too soon," he joked.

"Hopefully people understood you had to go."

"Yeah they did."

We continued our conversation along his drive home, discussing his two goals and one assist, talking about the new team lines they were trying out this season, among other things. He asked how my week was going, and how my crazy friends were. All small talk, but it shifted from awkward to comfortable as we both settled in for the night. I changed into comfortable clothes while attempting to juggle my phone, do anything but break the conversation. I curled up on my couch and flipped through the TV channels, and Sid did the same.

"Ugh, there's nothing on." I complained, furious with my nearly two thousand channels.

"Food Network is on, that's what I'm gonna watch until I pass out."

"Oh my god, you do not watch Food Network," I exclaimed, quickly typing in the numbers that got me to the Food Network as well. It was my favorite channel, and there must've been a commercial on when I scrolled through. I told Sid that I was completely amused that he watched it too, and we talked through the shows we watched until we both began yawning in between responses, around 1 in the morning. I can't believe we talked on the phone all night.

"I wish you could've actually been here," Sid said wistfully.

"Yeah me too," I admitted, honestly wishing I had been.

"Come to Pittsburgh sometime," he sprung the words on me, and I was surprised to hear them.

""...Yeah?" I asked, gears turning in my head. Maybe I could go to Pittsburgh? It would have to be without the Bruins, so some weekend where I'm not tied up in their business, and where they can't get involved in mine.

"Yeah, I mean… if you wanted to. Pittsburgh's not so bad."

"Pittsburgh's pretty cool," I thought back to the few times I had been there, and realized I hadn't experienced it the way I wanted to. Meaning I had always gone with the Bruins and never had time to see it for myself. "Okay." I agreed to it.

"Okay?" Sid sounded surprised by my answer.

"Yeah, I'll come to Pittsburgh."

"Really?" There was a little excitement in his voice now.

"Yeah, if I can get away for a weekend. When does your schedule lighten up?" I asked, walking over to my Dooney bag by the door and pulling out my agenda. I sat back down on the couch, suddenly more awake than I had been a few minutes ago.

"This is probably the least busy I'll be, the regular season will start soon and then it'll be hockey 24/7."

He was right, once the season picked up it would be too much to have visitors. I saw an opening in my schedule for this weekend, and thought that even though this was absolutely crazy, I could make it to Pittsburgh Friday night and be back on Sunday afternoon.

"Is this weekend too soon?" I asked, tracing a square around the weekend on my calendar with the pen that was tucked into the front cover on its cap. It was extremely short notice, as it was already Wednesday. Technically Thursday with it being past midnight.

"Uh, hold on. Let me check," Sid said, his voice leaving the phone. He probably had his schedule programmed into his phone, the modern way to do things. I would never remember anything if I didn't write it down. "Yeah, I have practice Friday morning and a game Saturday night but there's a lot of free time in there."

My thoughts raced with what we would actually be doing in Pittsburgh. But I slowed them, and told Sid we would work out the details tomorrow and that I needed to go to sleep. I was exhausted. We said goodnight, and I went upstairs, crawled into bed, and drifted off almost immediately.

The next day at work, I spent most of the morning researching flights from Boston to Pittsburgh, and looking at everything there was to do in that city. There were first class seats available on a Jet Blue flight at 6:15 on Friday, tomorrow, which could work. The flight was only an hour, and I would be able to leave work early that day because there was nothing scheduled at the Garden. The Bruins would be at their practice rink, and I would be free once I finished my work for the day, which would be easy to do with my usual tribe of distractions a half hour away.

I called Sidney before booking it, and luckily I caught him right as he was driving to practice. He gave me the okay, and I booked my flight to Pittsburgh for tomorrow. Had I told myself this was crazy yet? Because it was pure madness. But it would be good to get away for a weekend and get to know Sid more. I felt like we were already pretty good friends, even though we hadn't seen each other much. We talked all the time, and he helped get my mind off Tyler, for the most part, which no one seemed to be able to do these days. They were just completely different people.

After I called Sid, I called Chelsea to get some dinner tonight. I hadn't seen too much of her without Morgan so I really wanted to hang out with her one on one. She was the most rational of the three of us, so she would have good insight on the situation I was dealing with, and would tell me what I needed to hear, not what I wanted to hear. We agreed to get some Thai take out and head back to her place, and I would pick it up on my way over after work.

I picked up our huge order from our favorite hole-in-the-wall Thai place and headed to Chelsea's apartment on the North End, close to the Garden. She buzzed me in and I hiked up the stairs to her place, where she greeted me at the door. Her strawberry blonde hair was French braided and out of her face, and she wore a baby blue Ralph Lauren v-neck with navy shorts. She was naturally gorgeous, and when she used a little make up, she made me downright jealous. She hugged me and I set the food on her marble counter, while she reached in her cupboard for some plates. We spooned out our food and parked ourselves on her cream colored couch. Usually she didn't let anyone eat on it, but she knew I was the same way about keeping the house and everything in it spotless.

We chatted casually about our week at first, each eating our pad Thai while the other talked.

"So, are you still talking to Sid?" she asked. Finally – I knew she would try to ease me into it, which I appreciated.

"Yeah, actually, he… well, I'm going to Pittsburgh for the weekend." I just had to say it. There would be no avoiding it at this point.

"What?! Charlie, you're kidding me, right?" Chelsea quickly sat up straight.

"He just asked me if I wanted to go," I tried to put the blame on him, and sound like the innocent one.

"He just asked you to stay with him in Pittsburgh for the weekend?" She tilted her head, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

"Well, I mean. I don't know, we were talking on the phone last night and he just said I wish you were here, and then it was like well why aren't I there? I guess it was just spur of the moment and I didn't even realize I would be staying at his place. I could always get a hotel room, I haven't really thought any of this through." I was really just thinking out loud at this point, hoping Chelsea would jump in and direct me.

"First of all, when have you ever done anything that wasn't crazy?" It was a rhetorical question, obviously.

"I know, I just… I don't want it to be crazy. Yeah, actually flying out there might be a little crazy, but I don't want to have a crazy time."

"Second of all, you have to stay at his place. Did he offer?"

Wow, she was actually into this idea.

"Not really, I guess I just assumed it. I should probably book a hotel just in case."

"Yeah, just in case. But Charlie, you do understand that people will know you went to Pittsburgh, right?" she asked, specifically referring to Tyler.

"I don't care if he knows," I muttered, aggravated at the thought of him.

"Okay, then it's settled. You're going to Pittsburgh to spend the weekend with Sidney Crosby. Damn, how did this even happen?" Chelsea was almost in disbelief. She was always trying to have me set her up with one of the Bruins, and never really understood how I seemed to snag the NHL players up. And now Sidney Crosby was after me.

"I wish I knew. Are you sure this isn't a bad thing though? I know I'm crazy, but it could actually be really good, right?" I needed someone – anyone – to tell me this was okay.

"Yes. It could be very good. You have to keep me updated though." She made me promise. I didn't want everything to get back around to Morgan, or anyone really, until I told them, and I knew Chelsea could keep things on the down low until I wanted them to circulate.

"Damn. Who would've thought Sidney Crosby would be into me?" My outward thinking continued.

"I don't know, but I need some of whatever you got going on," Chelsea joked. She'd find her NHL star some day, and I would continue to try to set her up until she found one.

We ate the rest of our food and watched a couple movies before I decided to head back home. I wasn't looking forward to the drive, but I knew I had to get some things packed before I went to bed. Chelsea had agreed to watch Daisy and Oliver, so I wouldn't have to worry about them this weekend. Once I got back to Cambridge, I began the task of packing for my Pittsburgh weekend. It was still fairly warm out, but it cooled down quickly at night, so I packed a couple pairs of nice jeans and a couple sweaters. I also picked out two dresses, possibly for dinner or some other event that would require a dress, and some lazy clothes. I didn't know what we would be doing, and tried to pack for every possible scenario without exceeding the limits of a carry on bag. When I was completely satisfied with my packing job, I called it a night.

I woke up Friday morning anxious and ready to be done with work before I had even gotten there. I was able to get everything finished by 3:30, which gave me enough time to get to the airport and through security with a little time to spare.

Sid texted me, and I waited to read it until I found my gate and plopped down in one of the hard, plastic chairs.

_5:18 PM_

_- Hey, your flight is at 6:15, right?_

_- Yeah, they should start boarding us pretty soon. _

_- Alright, do you think you'd be up for dinner when you got here or have you eaten?_

Shit, I wasn't dressed for dinner. But I realized I hadn't checked anything through, so all of my clothes were in my carryon suitcase. I could throw an outfit together if I had to.

_5:20 PM_

_- Dinner sounds good. In or out?_

_- I was thinking out but we can do whatever you want. _

_- Whatever you want is fine._

_- Out it is. Could you be ready to go from the airport?_

And I just assumed he would be picking me up… luckily I had assumed correctly.

_- Yeah, and I should land at 7:20ish._

_- Perfect, see you soon! Have a safe flight _

I rolled my little suitcase into the bathroom and tried to find an outfit without spilling the contents of my luggage on the dirty bathroom floor. I put on a pair of dark skinny jeans and a silver sequined top, and changed my shoes to black heels. _Good enough_, I thought, looking at myself in a full-length mirror that hung on the bathroom wall. I fluffed my hair and touched up my make up a bit. By the time I got back to the gate, they were beginning to board first class passengers, so I rolled my bag along, had my boarding pass scanned, and walked onto the plane.

No turning back now.


	8. Eight

I had somehow survived my anxiety and the flight, and called Sid as soon as I landed. I hadn't expected him to already be waiting out front, but he was. Luckily I hadn't checked any bags so I could just get off the plane and head toward the pick up area. He waited until I was in sight to hop out of his car, hoping to avoid any unnecessary attention, I'm sure, and greeted me with a warm hug and a 'how was your flight'. He wore a red and blue plaid button up and khakis, and for some reason I had just become increasingly aware of how handsome he was. I pulled my black shell jacket out of my oversized purse and slipped it on over my bare arms, now afflicted with the chilly autumn Pittsburgh air. He took my bag from me and slid it in the back of his Range Rover, then proceeded to open my door on the passenger's side.

"I'm not used to all this chivalry," I admitted, half smirk on my face as Sid put the car in drive and headed to our destination. Wherever that was.

"My mom taught me how to treat a lady," he responded, and I couldn't help but smile. "Oh, you didn't make a hotel reservation or anything, did you? I kind of assumed you would be staying with me. I mean, I have plenty of room if you want to, we just forgot to talk about that part…" I could hear the nerves in his voice as he tried to bring up the as-of-yet unaddressed topic of where I would be sleeping. It was an impulsive thing to do – this trip – which left things undecided and up in the air, but we could work it out.

"Your place is fine if you don't mind. I could get a hotel if you'd feel awkward though," I didn't want to seem too eager to stay at his place, but I was definitely curious. I also didn't mention that I had already booked a hotel room, just in case.

"You can stay with me," he decided, and I was glad that one of us was brave enough to say it. "And I know I said we should go out for dinner tonight, but I'm kind of feeling like staying in. Is that okay?"

"Yeah definitely, I'm pretty wiped."

The drive to Sewickley was about a half hour, and I mostly just asked him about preseason and how the team was looking. He was pretty chatty about the guys on the team, especially the new ones picked up in the draft. It was obvious that he cared about the entire team, and rarely spoke about himself. So I just kept asking him questions and he kept talking until we pulled up to a large gate that guarded a winding driveway that led through a wooded stretch of land. He rolled down his window and dialed a series of numbers on the touch screen at one of the pillars beside the metal rods of the gate. Fancy. The barrier in front of us slowly opened, and we drove down the long drive until we came to a huge white farmhouse settled in a clearing. There were two other cars in the driveway – a Lexus and a BMW, which I assumed were both his, and the porch wrapped around the house.

The front lights glowed softly in the fall evening as the sun started to set, and I let myself out and grabbed my little suitcase. The wheels churned and my heels wobbled on the gravel driveway so I sort of half-dragged myself and my belongings up the porch steps, and Sid laughed at me quietly as I struggled with it. I didn't need him to do everything for me though.

He unlocked the door, and the scale of the house became apparent. The entire living portion of the downstairs was mostly open with high ceilings, and bathed in soft lamps that bounced off the mahogany floors and leather furniture. A yellow lab came trotting around a corner from what I assumed was the kitchen, and Sid kneeled down to greet her, letting her lick his face while he rubbed her ears. She then came over to me with an inquisitive nose, and Sid laughed as she gave me the once over. I instantly had an image of Tyler's chocolate lab Marshall pop into my head, and I felt a little uneasy. Marshall had been my replacement – Tyler's coping mechanism.

"Sam's not so sure about a new girl in the house," he joked. I gave her a pat on the head and she became more at ease. I wasn't crazy about dogs, but I could try to tolerate this one. "Come on, I'll give you the tour."

I followed him through the downstairs of the house, my suitcase awkwardly in tow. He showed me the living room, the huge kitchen, the dining room, and next one of the guest rooms that I could pick from. I put my stuff down in there so I wouldn't scuff the floors with the wheels of my suitcase, and followed Sid to his office. It was more of a time capsule of his entire career, with jerseys, trophies, awards, plaques and photographs hanging from the walls or sitting on shelves. We didn't spend much time in there, and moved onto the game room and the semi-movie theater. Next was the upstairs. There was a big open living room and three bedrooms upstairs, two of them guest rooms, and finally there was his room. He flicked on the light just long enough for us to see inside, and then he led me back downstairs to the kitchen.

"So, dinner?" He asked.

"Dinner." I answered. "How about you let me cook?"

"I won't argue with that," he said as he took a seat at the kitchen bar. The counters made almost a complete circle in the kitchen, and the section protruding from the wall had a few stools at it.

I grabbed for the refrigerator handle and opened it, not expecting it to have as many contents as it did. I literally felt like I had an entire produce section in a large supermarket to choose from. I looked back at Sid, wide eyed, and he gave a gesture, giving me the okay to use anything in the fridge. So I went with it. I searched through the drawers and started pulling things out to make a salad.

"Steak or chicken?" I asked, holding a package of each in my hands.

"Steak?" Sid responded, and I nodded in agreement.

He directed me to a grill pan and I started cooking. The end result was grilled steak over an arugula salad with parmesan, a balsamic drizzle and a fried egg. Sid had put a couple place settings at the counter and poured some wine and we ate our dinner over natural conversation.

He talked about the preseason game the Penguins were playing against the Flyers tomorrow, and how even though it was a preseason game, he took their rivalry very seriously. I could understand that, and it kept the games interesting to say the least. Sid asked more about my job and why I worked for my dad, and I tried to explain to him that after the whole baby situation, I really had no interest in going to medical school. I had worked for Dad all through college and had planned on going to school longer, but things happened that couldn't be reversed and he gave me another chance to work for him. I didn't mind the work so much. I got to get out of the house and travel and spend time with my family, which I really needed, but I also had to deal with Tyler on a regular basis, which made it sort of difficult to move on with my life. Sid understood, and suddenly conversation took a turn toward past relationships.

"I guess there have been a few girls. Nothing ever felt like it was going anywhere though. I don't really get a lot of time to myself, and my life is very structured," Sid explained. "Everyone thinks I'm picky about girls too, but it's hard to find someone that fits into your routine when you can't do anything to change it."

"Yeah I totally get that," understanding what it took to be with someone in the NHL. It was a lot of work, and definitely caused a lot of tension between Tyler and I, but we had a better situation than most, because I usually got to travel with the team on road trips instead of being left at home.

"Any guys besides Seguin?" Sid asked, and I figured it was my turn to spill. Not that there was much of anything to tell.

"A couple guys in high school, but they were blockheads. And a few random hook ups in college, but no one really serious."

Sid looked a little surprised but his expression returned to normal. I gave him a glance in return, as if to ask _what?_

"Nothing, it's just you're beautiful. I thought you would've had a lot of boyfriends." I could tell that it took a lot for him to say that, and I could feel my cheeks heat.

"I guess I'm picky too," I responded, not knowing what else to say.

I poured myself another glass of wine and Sid got up and grabbed a beer out of the fridge.

"Pumpkinhead?" I asked, shocked to see the pumpkin flavored beer on his hand, as he popped the cap off.

"Yeah…do you want one?" He asked, a little confused.

"No, no it's just, my whole family is from Maine. We have a house there, and Shipyard is sort of a big deal. I don't know, I just didn't know they had it here. Or that anyone else drank it…"

Sid laughed a little, relieved that I wasn't judging him over his choice of beer. "Yeah, it's one of my favorites. I don't eat a ton of sweets, and it does the trick for pumpkin pie cravings." The season did prompt those cravings quite often, and I could definitely relate. He offered me a sip and I gladly took one, then returned the bottle to him. "Maine's pretty cool too, I've played there a few times, back in Juniors. Where's your house?" He was genuinely curious and I appreciated the fact that he was interested in my family.

"Oh nice, yeah we have a lake house on Sebago, and my family lives around Portland. We moved to Boston when I was 2, when things started to take off for my dad," I explained, and he listened intently.

"I can't say I've ever been to Sebago, but it sounds nice."

"I'll take you sometime, I usually live there in the summer."

"I'm gonna have to take you up on that then."

We both smiled, and sipped at our drinks, changing the topic a few more times.

"How about a movie?" Sid asked after a while more of chatting, and I looked at the clock that hung on the wall. 11:13. Damn, where had the night gone?

"Yeah sure. I just gotta change, and these heels are killing me," I had forgotten they were on and I peeled them off my feet right there.

"Same, do you wanna just watch it upstairs?"

"Uh yeah, sure."

We separated and I changed in the downstairs bedroom where I had left my suitcase. _What should I wear?_ I dug through my bag until I found some yoga pants and a Lululemon tank. They would have to do, and I changed and moseyed my way up the stairs. Sid had changed into a Pens t-shirt and some gym shorts, and had made himself comfortable on the sectional couch in the upstairs living area, flipping through the channels on the plasma screen mounted on the wall. I plopped myself down beside him, but not too close, and he changed it to the OnDemand channel.

"Any ideas?" He asked, as he scrolled through the new release list.

"Um... Safe House looked good," I said as he highlighted it on the screen, and he hit play. No argument, like Tyler would've put up.

We watched the movie and talked for a little while, and I could feel my eyes become heavy with the exhaustion of the day.

…

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in an unfamiliar room. The alarm clock on the nightstand said 5:48 am, and the sun had yet to come up. A quick wave of panic washed over me, and I rolled over, to find Sid asleep on his side, shirtless and lightly snoring. I must've fallen asleep during the movie, but I don't remember moving to Sid's bed. Sam laid at the foot of the bed, her ears perked up at my movements. I looked around the faintly lit room and it appeared to be pretty average, even for the size of it. The walls looked like they were a robins egg blue, and framed pictures and medals sat on shelves. I'd have to check it out more when there was real light, not just luminance from the iHome next to me.

I laid there until Sid's alarm went off at 7:30. I didn't want to wake him too early before he had to be at the rink and I really had no reason to panic. I was still fully clothed and hadn't been drunk or anything, and I trusted myself not to completely blow this the first night I was here. Music began playing fairly loudly through the iHome at exactly 7:30, and Sid grumbled. Since I was closest to it, I shut it off, and put my hand on his bare shoulder.

"Hey, it's time to get up," I whispered, and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Hey," he smiled a little through his sleepiness, and started slowly waking up.

"You have to leave for the rink soon," I said, keeping my voice low still.

"I know, I don't want to get up though."

"Did you uh, bring me in here last night?" I asked, still trying to fill that memory gap.

"Yeah," Sid said, rolling over on his back and wiping the sleep from his eyes. "You passed out like 20 minutes into the movie, and I didn't want to leave you on the couch."

"Oh okay. I just didn't remember coming in here." It made sense, and I appreciated the fact that he didn't want me to sleep on the couch all night.

"You hungry?" He asked, and Sam lifted her head from her paws. "You too," he added, looking at the dog.

I nodded and we started to get up. Sam jumped down from the bed and Sid grabbed the shirt he had been wearing last night off the floor and put it back on. I couldn't help but stare at the muscles of his back as he lifted the shirt over his head, but I tried my best not to stare – or atleast get caught staring. We headed downstairs and threw some breakfast together and let Sam out after she ate.

"I'll probably be gone til about noon, but I'll leave a key to the Lexus for you if you want to go explore or something, and I have a ticket for you for the game tonight if you want to come," Sid said, pulling on his sneakers and a Pens windbreaker.

"Oh okay. Yeah I figured I'd have to entertain myself a bit. I don't really know anywhere to go so I'll probably just stay here, but yeah I'd love to go to the game tonight." What else was I going to do?

"Alright, is the glass okay or do you want a club seat?" Sid asked, and I wasn't aware that I had a choice. I thought for a second.

"Glass is good," I answered. I didn't get a chance to sit at the glass very often, so it would be a fun experience. I just wish I had my friends here to sit with me.

"Okay, I'll bring a ticket home. I gotta head out, but seriously make yourself at home."

"Thanks, I will."

Sid grabbed his keys and left the key to the Lexus right on the counter for me. He flashed a quick smile before leaving, picking up his bag by the door of the mudroom. I turned around and Sam's face was practically pressed against the glass of the back patio, so I slid the door and let her in, giving her a few pats on the head as she walked past me to her food bowl.

I went into the downstairs guest room where my suitcase was located and decided to take a shower. The bathroom was attached to the room, and there were towels folded neatly on a bench in the large bathroom. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and was suddenly horrified. _Have I looked like this all morning?_ My hair was a mess, my makeup, which hadn't been removed before bed, was smeared around my eyes, and I looked like a genuine zombie. I started the water in the shower as fast as I could and jumped in, trying to erase the mess I had just seen in the mirror. Sid probably thought I was a disaster, but I'd just have to look that much better after I had a clean canvas to work with.

I had forgotten a blow dryer, but figured I'd just let my hair air dry while I did everything else. I flipped it a few times so there would be some volume to it, but I would just have to accept the fact that it would naturally be pretty wavy without any heat treatments. I painted my makeup on while playing music through my phone, then went through my suitcase again to dig out some clothes. I settled for some navy jeggings and a tight v-neck sweater with some coral flats. The weather was supposed to be unusually cold, but I wouldn't have to worry about layering until I left.

I took the opportunity to call Chelsea and update her so far on my trip. I still hadn't talked to Morgan but I figured Chelsea had told her the basics, and that she would wait for me to update her when I got back. I grabbed my phone off the bathroom counter and walked back out through the kitchen and into the living room, where I got comfortable with some pillows on the leather couch.

"Hey, is everything okay?" were Chelsea's first words.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I just wanted to update you, Sid's off at morning skate and I'm just here with his…dog." I looked down at Sam, who had taken residence at the other end of the couch.

"Oh okay, I was just surprised to see you call so early. How is everything going?" It was only about ten o'clock, so I guess it was early for me to be calling. But she sounded cheery and intrigued when she asked how it was going so far, which set the conversation back on a normal foot.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Everything's going well. It's a little awkward, I'm staying at his place and it's kind of, I don't know. Weird?" I didn't know how to describe how I was feeling, to be honest. I was alone in Sidney Crosby's house, and I slept in his bed last night. Plus, we still hadn't even talked about that night at my house when he kissed me…

"How so?" She asked, and I continued.

"Well you know how he kissed me? We still haven't talked about that at all and I- " I was interrupted by Chelsea practically screaming.

"What?! He kissed you? When! Charlotte, what the hell?"

_Oh god. I hadn't told her._


	9. Nine

**Author's Note:** **Sorry for the amount of time between updates! School is catching up with me and this has been a hard chapter to write because it is a major deciding factor in how the rest of the story plays out. Your reviews are so helpful, and I really appreciate all the positive feedback! For those of you reading this because of Tyler, he'll make a comeback in the story in the next few chapters, so please don't lose interest! **

I tried to talk my way through my mistake with Chelsea on the phone for a bit, and eventually she calmed down. I had forgotten to tell her about the kiss at my party that night, and it took a while for her to give me a chance to clear the air. I had only told my mom about the kiss. Maybe that's why Chelsea thought it was so bizarre for me to be in Pittsburgh, because she hadn't known about that development. But she accepted it and actually sounded genuinely happy for me once she calmed down. Plus, it wasn't like I had told everyone but her. That would be an entirely different case. I just forgot, right? Or wanted to keep it a secret. I'm not entirely sure. I gave her the go ahead to tell Morgan, mostly because I didn't want to have to tell her and because she wouldn't care if she heard it from Chelsea. She was the gossip queen, and didn't really care who's mouth it came out of, as long as she knew what was going on.

Chelsea tried to give me some advice on what to do for the next day and a half but I would honestly just have to play it by ear and not plan my moves – if any. We hung up after almost two hours of talking, and after saying goodbye to her, I watched TV until Sid got back at around 1.

I heard the front door open and Sam jumped off the couch, trotting over to him for a dose of attention I had neglected to give her. Sid obviously heard the TV so he dropped his gear by the door in the mudroom area and headed into the large living room, plopping himself on the opposite end of the couch from me.

"How was practice and everything?" I asked, trying to judge the tired yet content expression on his face.

"It was good, we just went over some drills and did press and had team meetings and stuff, and then the rest of the guys grabbed some lunch, but I figured I could take you around Pittsburgh and we could get a bite to eat instead." Sid's voice was soft, relaxed for a game day. Tyler was usually on edge on game days, but I guess each player has his own way of dealing with the pressure of an upcoming match.

"Yeah that sounds good, do I have to change?" I had ignored my hunger until the mention of lunch.

"Nope, we can just head out if you want."

I nodded in agreement and we both rose from the couch. I headed back to the guest room to grab my brown leather jacket and we got in the Range Rover, heading into the city. It was probably a pain for Sid to have to drive back into the city, and I could've just met him wherever we were going, but I was glad he took the time to come back and get me. That way I wouldn't be totally helpless with directions. We did a little sight seeing before driving past the Consol Energy Center, then looping through the Strip District, then down to the restaurant called Sonoma Grille. We pulled up to a private lot where we could minimize the amount of walking we would have to do while we approached the restaurant. Once there, we had a table already waiting for us, and were seated at a small table in the back corner of the restaurant. People looked up from their meals at us, but went back to their business.

When we were seated, we looked over the menu for a few and debated what to order, and after not being able to come to a conclusion, we decided to order two things and share them. Lunch was pleasant and we mostly just talked about the game tonight and what my workweek looked like. I had a pretty long week ahead of me as opening day started to approach, as well as some concerts coming up that needed attention to.

When we were finished with lunch, Sid paid, no questions asked. He wanted to, so I didn't try to argue with him. We did a little more sight seeing before we had to head back to Sewickley, where Sid got a few things ready before the game and I made myself comfortable on the couch once again. Sid had to leave at 4:30 to head back into the city for the game, and I wouldn't have to leave until 6:30.

"I can have a driver pick you up if you'd prefer," Sid offered, fighting with his tie in the large mirror that hung by the door. I stood up and walked over to help him, frustrated watching him continually untying and retying it.

"No that's okay, I think I'll be able to find the arena after the drive in for lunch," I answered, tightening the knot.

"Okay. The Lexus has a gate pass so you should be able to just drive right into the player lot. I'll leave the ticket with the keys by here by the door." I straightened the tie and gave him a thumbs up, letting him know he was good to go and that I knew where he was leaving things. He walked back into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, his dress shoes echoing throughout the entire first floor. He looked really handsome in a suit, and suddenly I felt nervous again. I tried to shake it off as Sid returned to where I still stood by the front door. He grabbed his own keys off the table and looked at his gear bag on the floor.

"Good luck tonight," I wished him, drawing his attention towards me.

"Thanks," he smiled. "Are you sure you're fine with driving and a glass seat and everything? Things get rowdy down there…"

"Yeah, I'm good. I never get to sit at the glass, and if I get lost, just send a bolo out for your car," I joked, hoping it would never have to come for that.

"Ha, I'm not too worried. I know exactly where you're sitting too, you'll be fine. I gotta get going," He said, his eyes changing. He didn't want to leave, I could tell.

"Okay, I'll meet you back here after?" I knew he wouldn't want me to wait for him, that's how it usually worked with girlfriends or wives or…me. No pictures together, no press. We would just meet back at the house, avoiding all the unnecessary attention.

"Yeah, I shouldn't take too long with the media. I'll get out as fast as I can."

"Sounds good," I responded.

Sid took a half step closer so he was just inches from me. _Oh god. Nerves_. I knew what was coming then, and before I could even process a thought, he leaned down and kissed me sweetly on the lips.

"What was that for?" I smiled, taken aback. He hadn't kissed me the entire time I've been here, and I wasn't really expecting it.

"For flying to Pittsburgh to hang out with me. I didn't think you'd actually come," he said, lifting me up in a tight squeeze. I laughed a little, and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Well of course, if I can why wouldn't I?" I asked, and he kissed me again.

"Alright, I really have to go now. I'll see you later, I'll be quick getting out tonight. I promise."

"Good luck tonight," I wished him, and his lips found my forehead quickly before he walked through the door.

…

Finally, I left around 6:30 after snacking on some grapes and crackers and talking on the phone to my mother for a bit. She didn't know about my trip yet – none of my family did. But I told her I was in Pittsburgh and she had a minor coronary before telling me to enjoy myself. She would always push for Tyler. Always.

The drive to the Consol was pretty quick, and I got through the gate in the player's lot with no trouble. I parked in the first open spot and grabbed my wristlet where I put my ticket out of my bag before heading into the arena. I didn't really need the ticket, I guess it was mostly just a keepsake, because when I walked into the building, someone was waiting by the door to take me to my seat. Helpful, I thought. The place was packed, and my seat was on the glass right on the red line. Central, easy to find. Now that I knew where my seat was, I headed to concessions to grab a beer and a grinder. I hadn't paid for overpriced stadium food in far too long so I didn't mind it. It just took forever. I received a few glances from people as I walked back to my seat. I was alone, sitting on the glass, not wearing anything Penguins related. Something didn't seem right with me, and some people sensed it, especially the ones seated next to me.

The lights cut and the announcer came over the PA system, announcing the Penguins as they skated onto the ice, the Flyers making their way to their side as well. The cheering was insane. Sid was the second to last one on the ice, and when the lights turned on, my eyes didn't leave his figure as he skated around, warming up. Before they lined up on the blue lines for the National anthems, Sid skated right up against the glass where I was sitting and tapped the glass with his glove a couple times as he moved past, smiling as he did it. I couldn't help but smile, and the guy in the Crosby jersey next to me definitely caught that little interaction.

"Hey, hey you know Crosby?" he asked, already smelling like five beers in.

I ignored him, paying more attention to my phone than his annoying questions. This was going to be a long game if this guy kept it up, but he went silent after the puck dropped, atleast in my direction. I thought about moving up to the club level but it wouldn't really make a difference. I wasn't in Boston, I was in Pittsburgh. I was anonymous for the most part and I could sit on the glass if I wanted to, so I did.

The game actually moved pretty quickly, with Sid scoring 2 goals and 1 assist, Geno scoring 1 goal with 1 assist and the Flyers only scoring 1 goal total. The 3-1 defeat was a good way to affirm the Penguins' dominance over the Flyers for the beginning of the regular season, and the crowd loved it almost as much as the players, who celebrated but quickly made their way off the ice.

I started to leave the venue, which took forever as people trickled out through the aisles. But eventually I made my way back to Sid's Lexus and headed back to Sewickley. I hoped Sid wouldn't be too far behind me, and when I got back to his house at 10:05, I only had 10 minutes to put my stuff in the guest room and grab a drink from the fridge before Sid walked through the door carrying his gear bag, and wearing the suit he left in. He wasn't kidding when he said he would get out of there fast. I ran over and hugged him, congratulating him on a game well played.

"Thanks, I'm glad you were there," Sid said through a toothy grin.

"Me too," I mirrored his smile with mine and he broke it with a kiss. Would I have to get used to these kisses? Because it would take some getting used to, I never knew when to expect them but I guess it was a thing now.

He pulled away and with my arms still wrapped around his neck, looked intently into his eyes. His expression had changed. It went from light and happy to quickly serious. Not intimidating or angry or anything, but just serious. And I knew then what was about to happen.

"Do you uh… do you want to go upstairs?" His voice wavered, indicating how nervous he actually was.

I nodded. Instinctively maybe, but without a word I followed him up the stairs. He held my hand as I trailed a step behind him, and my heart started to beat out of my chest. I didn't really think about much of anything except the sound of the door clicking shut behind me once we were in Sid's room. It was like the starting gun, and I grabbed his tie, pulling him to me in a crashing kiss, as he slid off his suit jacket and tossed it behind him. The room was very dimly lit, with just barely enough light from a small lamp and the iHome on the bedside table to see each other. He pulled at the bottom of my sweater and lifted it over my head, and I loosened his tie, going for the buttons next. Sid pushed me up against the wall, keeping me in place with his hips as I worked to get the buttons through their loops without breaking the seal between our lips. His tongue wandered through my mouth and pushed playfully against mine as he added his white button-up and undershirt to the pile of clothes forming on the floor.

He pulled his lips away and rested his forehead on mine. "Are we moving too fast? We can slow down if you want, it's just … fuck. You're beautiful," his large right hand rested on my bare hip.

"Don't stop," I half-whispered, half-begged, and without another word he undid my bra and pinned me back against the wall.

His hands moved up from my hips to cup and massage my breasts, which felt sort of small in his large palms. My nipples perked up immediately, and I grabbed for Sid's belt, undoing it and unbuttoning his pants quickly. While he finished taking them off I got to work on taking off my own, and when I was left in just my panties and Sid in his briefs, he lifted me up, holding me in his powerful arms, and carried me over to the bed. My legs stayed wrapped around his waist, my fingers knotted in his hair as he laid me down and positioned himself between my thighs. His lips moved from mine to my jaw, then to my neck where he sucked and nibbled at my sensitive skin. I squirmed under his touch and tried to keep the sounds building in my throat suppressed but a few escaped my lips, as Sid's kisses trailed down to my collar bone, then down my breast to my left nipple. _Fuck_. My back instinctively arched, and I could feel his smile on my skin.

I mentally took a deep breath and reached down into his briefs to grab the pulsing erection that had grown over the course of the last few minutes and began to stroke it. He leaned into the movements of my hand and went back to kissing my neck and my lips, before slipping his hand into my panties. At that point, I just ripped his briefs down taking in the sight of what I had gripped in my right hand, and he pulled down my lacey Victoria's Secret cheekies. We both shimmied out of the remaining fabric clinging to our bodies and I propped myself up on my elbows briefly.

"Do you have condoms?" I asked, getting more and more nervous.

Sid reached over to the bedside table and pulled a foil Durex packet out of the drawer and held it up. "Yup," he answered, as if he needed to say anything.

"Put it on."

He looked a little surprised by my bossiness, and honestly I was too. I was being a lot more brave than I thought I'd be, but then again I didn't really know how I'd act in this situation, nor did I think I would be in it. But Sid tore the foil packet and slid the condom from the tip to the base of his cock, and my heart fluttered. Shit, this was actually happening. He moved towards me and cupped my left cheek, planting a sweet kiss on my lips. Then the intensity grew, and I kissed him while he positioned himself back between my legs. He slipped two fingers between my other lips, making sure they were wet and ready for him, which they were.

"Are you sure?" Sid asked, reassuring that this was what I wanted. I knew he was nervous, and I was too. But this was happening for a reason and I wasn't about to stop him – us, from doing this, if we both wanted it.

"Yeah, you?" I asked, just making sure that he wasn't about to back out.

"Yeah I'm sure."

And with that he thrust inside me. I practically yelped, not expecting the amount of pressure that now filled me. But I quickly forgot about it once Sid set a pace, slow enough to savor the feeling of him sliding in and out of me, but fast enough for it to get somewhere. I clawed at his shoulders and his lower back as he moved, groaning as he sucked on my neck. The pace was good to start, but it was almost torturous, and I needed more.

"Faster," I whispered into his ear.

"Yeah?" he asked devilishly, and slowed his pace to a sickeningly slow one, one that left me craving more.

"Yes."

My demand was simple, and it was met, as Sid thrusted himself inside me, quickening his movements and both of our breathing. I was completely lost in this full body connection, and we both began to work up quite a sweat as it continued. He worked faster and faster and harder and harder when finally, I could feel Sid start to tense up on top of me. I sucked at his bottom lip, and grazed it with my teeth as he got closer and closer to the edge. I wasn't far behind, and all I needed to hear where his sweet moans as he climaxed to send me over the top, the orgasm completely taking over my body as it pulsed through me.

Sid practically collapsed on top of me, lazily pulling out as he caught his breath, resting his head on my chest. I played with the sweat-soaked hair at the nape of his neck, and we laid there for a few minutes before he broke the silence.

"Holy shit," he sighed, sliding the cum-filled condom off as he rolled to one side.

"Yeah," I smiled, and without really exerting too much effort, reached to my right and flipped the lamp off.

Sid pulled the comforter up over us, and we stayed there, him still on top of me. I was relieved to hear soft snores from Sid after a few minutes, because I couldn't really pinpoint what did it, but I felt my eyes begin to swell and eventually tears trickled down my cheeks. This was monumental, and so many emotions coursed through my body that I couldn't shut them off. So I laid there and held Sid and cried softly until I eventually fell asleep too.


	10. Ten

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait between chapters again! I went home for Thanksgiving and now I'm finishing up the semester. This was another tough chapter to write because the way I wanted the story to go ended up evolving into something else, as often happens when I write haha. But please keep reviewing! Thanks for all of your reviews so far, they're seriously so helpful and I love the positive feedback on my hard work!**

I woke up in a panic, naked and alone in Sid's bed. I checked my phone, and the time read 8:14 am with no other notifications. My mind raced, and I spiraled into a tornado of regrets and memories and feelings I didn't know I still felt and broke down again, getting up to atleast put my panties and bra back on. I crawled back in bed and hugged the pillow, and picked up my phone again, calling Chelsea to have her hopefully calm me down.

It rang four times before she picked up, and I felt bad calling so early on a Sunday, but I needed someone to talk to. Badly.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, knowing something must be up if I was calling before my usual wake-up time of 10:30.

"I slept with Sid," I cried, tears uncontrollably soaking the pillow beneath my right cheek.

"Oh…oh my god. Are you okay Charlie?" I couldn't respond, I was practically paralyzed by everything I was feeling. "It's okay…it's okay. Just calm down. Where is he right now?" She asked.

"I don't know," I said between sobs. "I just woke up and he wasn't here and I don't know what to do."

"He's probably just downstairs, but you need to get yourself together before he comes back. Tell me what happened, if you think you can." Chelsea's voice was calm and I tried to mimic her unwavering voice on the phone as I took a few deep breaths, attempting to slow my breathing and the tears continuing to fall from my tired eyes.

"I don't know, we just came back from the game last night and we just both wanted to do it I guess. We went upstairs and that was it."

"He wasn't mean to you, was he? He didn't pressure you into it?" She sounded a little angry, but she had a right to be.

"No, no. He was really sweet. He _is_ really sweet. I just feel horrible, I shouldn't even be crying. It's a good thing."

"I know you, Charlie, and I know you wouldn't have done it if you absolutely didn't want to. If you wanted to, then there's nothing to freak out about, there's nothing to worry about and it's a good thing. It's a really fucking good thing. But… I know you're thinking about Tyler, and you need to stop it. There's a reason why you're not with him and you're in Pittsburgh right now. I get it, but there's a reason why Sid is the first person you've had sex with since...everything, and not Tyler."

She didn't beat around the bush with that one, that's for sure. This is what I called her to hear though, and it was frustrating that I needed someone to tell me that but it was true. The last time I had sex was before I lost the baby and it was with Tyler, obviously. But after that, I couldn't do it with him. I don't even know why, I would just freeze up or cry as soon as we were about to, and he would get mad and we would fight and it was a never ending vicious cycle until we finally called it all off in June. Or I called it off… however you look at it. But I didn't freak out last night until after, and I didn't even really know why I cried, or why I'm crying now. It was just monumental I guess. It was a big deal to me, and I think I was crying because it was sad to think about how everything I had gone through over the past year was because I made a stupid decision and had sex with Tyler. But Sid isn't Tyler. At all.

"I know. I know. I wanted it, I really did. I just have a lot to think about," I answered, after staying silent for a moment.

"So…wanna share any dirty details?" Chelsea asked, after finally warming me up.

"Chels! Oh shit, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later. Love you."

I heard Sid's footsteps in the hallway and hung up the phone quickly, trying to wipe my eyes, which I'm sure were red and puffy and covered in tear-smeared makeup. He opened the door, wearing athletic shorts and a tshirt, and instantly looked worried.

"Are you okay?" he asked, coming to sit next to me on the bed.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

"You know you're really bad at hiding how you feel," Sid smiled, wiping at the wet makeup under my eyes with his thumb.

"I know," I said through a weak smile, and leaned into him, his arms embracing me warmly.

"I made breakfast if you're hungry," Sid said, pressing his lips to the top of my head.

I nodded, and he grabbed me a t-shirt and some boxers from his drawers for me to wear instead of my pants and sweater from yesterday and I followed him downstairs. We ate breakfast fairly quietly at the island, but not awkwardly. I think we were both just completely exhausted.

"What time's your flight again?" Sid asked after swallowing a mouthful.

"It leaves at 4:30 I think," I responded, realizing that I actually had to go back to Boston.

"Oh so we have a little time. Can I take you somewhere?" His question was ambiguous to say the least.

"Uh, sure. Where?"

"I guess you'll have to see when we get there," he responded, smirking, getting up and clearing our plates.

"Can I shower?" I asked, a little nervous for what he had planned.

"Of course," Sid answered, lightly laughing.

I reciprocated the smile and retreated to the guest room where I showered and got ready, doing my makeup and dressing myself in light washed jeans, a cream tank and a chocolate brown cardigan. I looked at all the nice clothes I packed, thinking I'd need to wear dresses and heels all weekend, and appreciated the fact that I have been able to just be normal. I slipped on some gold flats and headed back out into the kitchen where Sid met me, after also showering. He wore a navy quarter zip over a gray t-shirt and some jeans and his Penguins hat, looking equally comfortable. He looked down at my feet, and I quickly became self-conscious.

"…what?" I questioned, his eyes meeting mine.

"Do you have socks?"

I tried to search his eyes for an underlying reason for why I would need socks, but I nodded and headed back to the guest room where I changed threw some socks on and slipped on some brown lace up boots instead. I returned to the kitchen, where Sid gave me a more approving look, and we grabbed our coats before heading out to the Lexus.

"So you're not gonna tell me where we're going?" I asked, probing, watching Sid drive intently, his left hand on the steering wheel. He glanced over to me before he answered.

"Not if you're going to keep squirming like that," he laughed again, and I realized I was anxious but didn't know it was obvious.

I readjusted myself in my seat and kept my eyes on the road ahead of me, trying to think of all the places we could be going. I didn't think I'd have 40 minutes to think about it though, and by the time we pulled up to our destination, it clicked. We were at a place called the Iceoplex, and I didn't have to think hard about what we'd be doing here. Sid pulled around to the back of the ginormous complex, and surprisingly there were only a few cars in the large parking lot. He put the car in park and pulled the key out of the ignition.

"So, can you skate?" Sid didn't really wait for an answer before he hopped out of the car.

"Maybe," I answered, and walked beside him through the doors. This was about to get interesting.

The place was huge, and housed more than just an ice rink, but Sid led me through a few corridors to the locker room where the Penguins geared up before practice and showed me around a little. He had a pair of skates there, which he grabbed before leading me to the skate shop for a pair of rentals. He greeted the guy at the counter like an old friend, which I'm sure they were to some extent, and told him I needed a pair of skates.

"What size do you wear, hun?" The man, whose nametag said Tim, asked.

"7's should be good," I answered, and Tim fetched me a pair of figure skates, which I looked at wide-eyed. "Any chance you have hockey skates in women's sizes?" I asked, feeling like a bitch, but neither Tim nor Sid would know any better.

"Of course, I'm sorry, I just…" Tim sort of trailed his thought off while he traded the figure skates for a pair of hockey skates. Much better. Sid looked at me slightly shocked, but he looked impressed – pleased, that I hadn't just taken the figure skates. He slipped Tim a ten-dollar bill and gave him a quick nod.

"Hockey skates, eh?" Sid's thoughts were churning, I could tell, and we walked to the stands to get our skates laced up. I'm sure he thought I was just going to try to impress him with the hockey skates, and that I didn't actually have any experience on them. We had the place to ourselves, and I wondered if Sid had arranged this, which I'm sure he had.

"You think a girl has to wear figure skates?" I teased back, tightening the laces on my right skate.

"Not at all, I just didn't take you for the hockey skate type."

We were laced up and ready to hit the freshly zambonied ice that shone under the bright fluorescent lighting above. The skates weren't perfect but they would work, and I felt comfortable keeping my balance on them as we walked toward the rink. We stood at the open panel in the boards and Sid held out his hand for me to take as I stepped over the threshold, and we took our first steps out on the glassy surface.

"You okay?" Sid asked before releasing my hand.

I smirked at him and took off on the ice, letting go of his hand and showing off a bit. Sid skated slowly toward the center of the rink, following in my direction, just laughing at himself.

"Of course," he said softly, thinking out loud. I skated back to him, and found myself in his arms. He planted a soft kiss on my lips and held me there.

"Let me guess, left wing?" His guess was close, judging by my footwork from the laps I did around the rink.

"Right wing," I corrected through a toothy grin, and kissed him again. I felt like I had definitely won this one.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sid seemed a little disappointed that he hadn't figured it out himself, but it was cute, and a good way for him to learn more about me.

I played around with him, and stuck out my hand. "Hi, I'm Charlotte Williams and I'm starting right wing all four years for the BU women's hockey team," I joked, and he obliged, shaking my hand.

"Well nice to meet you, I'm Sidney Crosby, center and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins."

We both laughed, and skated along the boards. "You never asked," I said, and it was a fair point, which Sid acknowledged.

"I'll be right back," he said as he skated back toward the open board. He disappeared into the locker room and returned with two sticks and a puck, exactly what I was expecting, and held one of the sticks out for me to take. I rolled my eyes at him slightly, jokingly, and took it.

I could tell he wanted to see if I could keep up with him on the ice, which I could do pretty well actually. Maybe he was going easy on me, but the nets at either end of the rink were both getting some good use, and I gave him a chance to see how good of a skater I actually was, and pulled some stick handling tricks, until he completely showed me up with his famous pyramid trick after getting a few more pucks. Done.

We had probably been there for almost two hours before we became aware of the time, and at 12:45 decided that we should probably get on the road back to Sewickley. I returned my skates back to Tim and Sid dropped some stuff back in the Penguins locker room before we got back in the car and on the road.

We got back to Sewickley around 1:30 after a chatty car ride, and after Sid unlocked and opened the door, I fought to get my boots off my feet in the mudroom. I could feel Sid moving closer behind me. Closer and closer until he was right against my back, tucking my hair to one side so he could kiss the skin on the right side of my neck.

"Sid, I…" I tried to protest. "I need to get packed."

"Hmm?" His voice vibrated against my skin, and I melted, but turned around to face him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he held my hips, slipping his hands under my shirt so his cool palms were on my warm flesh.

"We should really talk about all of this," I suggested, knowing completely well that we needed to figure out exactly what this was.

"All of what?" he asked with a smirk, and kissed me intently, trying to distract my mind from thinking about the logistics of things and steer it in the direction of his bedroom.

"You know what," I pulled away, giving him a knowing look. As much as I wanted to just jump back in bed with him, I knew better than to get into this too deep before laying down some boundaries or atleast establishing a definition of what we were.

"I know, I know. I just don't want to talk; I only have you to myself for another hour." Sid's expression turned from playful to serious very quickly, and so did mine.

"Please? It won't take long and we can talk while I pack so if there's time left…" I rubbed his arms while I talked, and his face perked back up at my proposal.

"Fine," he grumbled, and followed me into the guest room that I never even slept in so I could gather my things and we could try to figure this out.

I picked up my scattered clothes and shoes and got them into my little suitcase as best as I could. Sid took a seat on the bed, which honestly looked like it had never been slept in before, and watched me quickly fold things and shove them into the bag.

"You know I like you, right?" His voice was soft.

"I like you too," I admitted. "A lot."

"So what is there to talk about?" Sid asked again, trying to get this over with and I raised my eyebrows at him in response.

"What do you want this to be?" I just needed to know so my head would stop spinning.

"What do _you_ want this to be?" Now he was just being difficult, but I kept myself from completely exploding at him with all of the emotions stirring within me.

"You know it isn't easy for me to be here," I said half under my breath, and I saw him tense up out of the corner of my eye as I shoved some shoes into my bag. Maybe it was a little harsh. It was true though. I hadn't told anyone except Chelsea that I was leaving, nor had I really known what I was going to do here. I definitely hadn't expected to sleep with Sid… I didn't regret it but I certainly wasn't prepared for it. Maybe I just needed to stop thinking so much and just do what feels right… but I don't even know what that is anymore.

"So why did you come?" Sid was very stiff all of a sudden, and I definitely struck a nerve.

I looked at him for a minute before gathering my thoughts. I could feel pressure building in my eyelids, and I pushed the tears back, trying to seem strong and confident in front of Sid, even though I really wasn't. "Because I trust you, and that doesn't happen often. So when you asked me to come here, I trusted that you knew what you were doing too."

He stood up and got close to me, and put a hand on my cheek, trying to calm me down a bit. I relaxed a little, and stopped avoiding his eyes and met them with mine.

"I like you. I really do. And you know just as well as I do that having a relationship with a hockey player isn't easy. I want to get to know you more and see you more and I can't stand the thought of you leaving here so soon…" he paused and his words started to send a jolt of fear through me that made my skin crawl. "But you need to get back to Boston. For right now. I'll still call you and send you flowers and be cheesy if that's okay with you because I honestly have no idea what I'm doing. But maybe we could work this out. We'll give it time and see what happens."

I processed everything he was saying. So he didn't really want a relationship, or to jump into one at least, but he really liked me. He wanted me. Of all people? That was just such a bizarre thought to me, because I thought I was purely damaged goods. But we would see what this could be. Eventually, maybe. Is that right?

"I can't get hurt." I said under my breath.

"Which is why I can't promise you something more than what this is right now. But we'll see where this goes, okay?"

I got up on my tiptoes and kissed him in agreement with his proposal, and he kissed me back fully.

"Okay," I reiterated, and finished packing loose ends into my bag.

He kissed me again, leaning into me so the backs of my legs were forced against the guest bed. I knew where this was headed, and there was no harm in it, so I started to lay down, and he followed, our lips locked and hips engaged in some flirtatious grinding. I could feel him hard against me, so I unbuttoned his jeans so my hand would fit down his pants, grabbing his length and stroking it as his lips wandered from my lips to my neck and collarbone. He groaned quietly against my skin, sending a quick shiver through my body. I pulled my hand out of his pants just long enough to tug his shirt over his head and he undressed me with relative ease, helping tug my pants off and then his. I honestly felt so comfortable with Sid, and when we both realized that there weren't any condoms in the guest bedroom, he scooped me up in his arms against his broad, warm chest and set me down at the base of the stairs so I could follow him to his bedroom once again.

Sid laid down and I crawled on top of him, nipping at his lips and sucking hard on his neck. His hands wandered down my sides to my hips and my ass, then down my thighs. His right hand traced along the outline of my inner thigh, and found my clit with his index finger. My breath hitched and he started rubbing in circular motions, forcing my muscles to tremble and my body to lean into every movement. I could feel his smile on my lips as I kissed him, but realizing we didn't have much time, I grabbed a condom from the drawer.

"I wish you could stay." Sid's voice was sincere as he tore the foil packet open.

"Me too."

I sat back on his legs as he slid the condom from the tip of his erection to the base, and I practically couldn't stand waiting anymore. I wanted him completely, and he knew it. He pulled me to him to kiss me and then rolled me over, getting himself back in position between my legs. Sid wasted no time thrusting himself inside me, and I practically yelped.

"Sorry, are you okay?" He asked before continuing.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." I smiled eagerly and kissed him again as he worked to set a pace.

It was fast and hard, and our breathing was rushed and our sweat melted together. We rolled over so I was on top, and without really breaking our pace, I fucked him as he rubbed my clit, and I was worried I was going to come at just his touch, but my body shuddered as I lifted and lowered myself down on him, riding him until I felt the change in his breath and his movements became desperate. I literally couldn't hold it in any longer, and as I came with him still inside me, it was the last thing he needed to be sent over the edge, and both of our moans filled the room. I collapsed on top of him for a minute before Sid pulled out and slid the condom off, gathering the motivation to get up and throw it away.

"We should get on the road, I don't know what traffic will be like."

….

After a traffic-logged drive back to the airport, we finally made it there around 3. I'd have just enough time to get through security and I could check in quickly because I didn't have to check a bag and could just check in at one of the kiosks. Dreading our goodbyes, I waited as Sid came around to open my door from me. His Penguins baseball cap somewhat shielded his identity but a couple people pointed fingers as they carried their luggage from the curb. I unbuckled and got out of the car, Sid reaching for my suitcase in the backseat. He popped out the handle from the top and extended it for me to hold, but instead I wrapped my arms around his thick upper body, and his arms quickly closed around me. He pressed his lips to my forehead, their warmth welcomed in the cool September air. I breathed in his scent and rested my head against his chest for as long as I could before he started to pull away.

"Have a safe flight, okay?"

"I will."

I hated this. I really did. I flipped Sid's hat around so it was backwards and I kissed him a couple times before forcing myself to break away, or I wouldn't be able to leave.

"I'll call you later. Bye, Charlotte."

"Bye Sid," I practically choked out his name, worried that I would cry leaving him. He kissed me once more and I walked into the lobby of the airport.

I checked in, got through security, and to my gate with only a few minutes to spare before I boarded the plane. The flight was relatively painless, except for the ache I felt about leaving Sid and Pittsburgh and the crazy few days we spent together. But when I got off the plane, I headed to the parking deck and picked up my Audi and made the drive home to Cambridge in about a half hour with traffic.

I pulled up to my Brownstone and my heart sank. As I turned onto my road, I could see a black Maserati sitting in front of my house. I stopped my car a few houses ahead, unsure of whether I should even bother going home or if I should just drive to my parents' house. But I sucked it up, and parallel parked my Audi behind the luxury car, half wishing I could just crash into it. There was no one in the driver's seat, but I had a feeling my spare key would need a new hiding place – something I had meant to change in June.

I left my suitcase in the car and only carried my Dooney bag through the now-unlocked front door. I didn't even need to take two steps into the house before I saw him.

"What are you doing here, Tyler?"


	11. Eleven

**A/N: Alright, get ready for a couple of Tyler chapters. Don't fret if you're reading this for Sid, he's still very much present in Charlotte's thoughts. There are some conflicts with Tyler that need to be resolved and then she will know if she can move on or not. And as always, thanks so much for reviewing! Feel free to leave some suggestions of things you'd like to see in upcoming chapters!**

I walked over to where Tyler was sitting on the leather couch in my living room.

"You can't just come in here anymore," I added, but he didn't respond. "Hello?"

He just stared at me. He looked exhausted, his face scruffy, his expression blank and distant. He had a grey sweater on and some jeans, and just the sight of him made me nauseous. I would have to get over that eventually, but right now wasn't the time for this. Whatever this was.

"Tyler, go home. I don't want to do this tonight."

"You don't have to hide your suitcase from me," he finally said.

My pulse started to quicken. He knew I went to Pittsburgh, and there would only be one reason for me to go there in the off-season. He had probably sat on my couch and waited for me to come home for all I knew.

"I can go get if for you if you want," his voice was raised sarcastically but his tone was dark, and he stood up so his height was apparent next to my small frame.

"Go." My voice was weak, and I couldn't look him in the eye.

"What?" He protested, knowing I would try to avoid him for as long as possible. "You can't face me? You can't talk to me? You know we need to talk, so why keep running from me Char? Why run all the way to Pittsburgh?"

"I said go." I still couldn't make eye contact. I could feel the anger build up in me, but it was the wrong kind of anger. It was at myself, not Tyler. And it was the kind of anger that forced tears to push at the corners of your eyes, even if you tried your hardest to convince yourself not to cry.

"Fine." Tyler shook his head and walked past me. "But I lost him too," he said as he stood in the doorframe, looking back at me for a second before he closed the door behind himself.

I felt like I was going to throw up – to just explode. I stood there in my living room, my feet cemented to the floor. But I acted without really thinking, and ran out the door after him. He had just gotten to the Maserati and was about to open the door when he heard my front door open and saw me rushing down the front steps towards him.

The streetlamp above bathed him in a soft light, and his eyes looked red, as if he was choking back the same feelings I had tried to forget for a long time. He started taking a few steps in my direction and I crashed into him quickly, throwing my arms around his torso and letting my emotions and tears pour out hysterically into his chest. I could feel him hesitate to put his arms around me for a second, but he gave in, and held me as close to him as possible.

"I'm sorry, shh.. I shouldn't have said that." Tyler's voice had softened since our brief encounter in my living room.

I literally couldn't say anything, but he tried to pull me back into the house so we wouldn't cause a scene. I followed him through the door and up the stairs where he sat me down on my bed and put his thick arm around me once again.

"I'm so sorry," I finally choked out in between sobs.

"Me too," he admitted.

We sat there for a few minutes until he readjusted himself, laying down on my bed with the pillows propped up against his back. I looked at him suspiciously, but he gave me a reassuring look and I snuggled up next to him, tucking myself up against his right side and continuing to cry into his chest. He rubbed my back as my thoughts swirled around my weekend and everything that had happened with Sid, and how I knew Tyler and I had unfinished business and that I wasn't being fair to him. And now I was hysterical and Tyler was sitting here dealing with me and I felt like a child. A complete child.

"Let's talk when you calm down," Tyler suggested, and it was the least I owed him after being so horrible to him.

It took me about an hour to settle down to the point where I could actually have a conversation. I stayed practically attached to Tyler's side as we started to talk, and it wasn't the type of conversation we could just ease into. It would have to hurt.

"I'm so sorry, Tyler. I didn't deserve to treat you like I did. I just… I was just lost. I didn't know what to do."

"I know. I'm sorry too, I didn't make it any easier."

"You didn't do anything wrong. You tried, and I didn't."

Tyler was silent for a minute, pressing his lips to the top of my head, holding me tight. This was completely unexpected and horrifying at the same time, but it also felt…good? If it's even feasible. I knew he was crying, softly, at this point. I could feel the change in his breath against my cheek as I listened to the change as his lungs filled and exhaled staggered. He had held it in for a while, which was progress, considering our previous feeble attempts at talking ended in us both red-eyed and tear-soaked within the first few minutes. I didn't look up at him for fear of making him feel uncomfortable if our eyes met, so I kept the left side of my face pressed against his sweater.

"I made this so much worse than it had to be," I continued, my past mistakes and actions flooding my current vision.

"You did what you had to do," Tyler said, trying to bridge the gap between us.

"You scared the shit out of me."

"What do you mean?" The tone of his voice changed a little.

"You know… everything about you scares me, Tyler. What I felt for you, what happened, what I still feel for you every time I see you…"

"You scare the shit out of me too," his laugh escaped from his throat for a split second, and it put me at ease a little. At least maybe we were starting to get on the same page.

We were quiet for a bit. So many thoughts coursed through my mind that I didn't really know where to focus my attention. Tyler cleared his throat a little, and I wasn't prepared for what he was about to ask me.

"Why haven't you cleaned out his room yet?"

Then my mind went blank. I should've known that he would've unlocked the door across the hall from mine.

"I locked it for a reason," I said, my voice suddenly indicating that I was going to be very defensive.

"I'm sorry, I …. I don't know. I shouldn't have looked. Forget it."

It wasn't that I didn't want to talk about it. I just hadn't talked about it at all, and was caught off guard by the extremely sensitive topic. Of course, he was referring to our son's room. When I lost him at 5 months, we had known it was a boy for a few weeks. My dad bought the brownstone and the Audi as graduation presents, and the nursery had mostly been set up when Tyler and I moved in, but I wasted no time adding to it.

We had literally lived in the house for two weeks before I had the miscarriage, and the worst part was that I had to go through the delivery process, only to know that the hard work of labor had been for nothing. My mind flashed back to that night, when I frantically woke Tyler up at 2:30 in the morning. His expression when he saw the fluid blood on the sheets was enough to kill me, and we sped to the emergency room only to find out that it was too late, and any attempts to stop the labor would fail anyway. He was too small to live outside of me. We named him William, per my father's request, so he would have a name from both families – William for Williams, and he had Tyler's last name.

We cremated him and I locked the nursery when I got home and that was that.

I hadn't given Tyler a fair chance after that, but I felt like there was enough damage done that we couldn't go back and try a relationship again. Not yet, atleast.

"It's okay. I just don't know what to do with it I guess."

"Okay. So can I ask you about Crosby?" He knowingly changed the subject, and his voice wasn't as hostile as I had expected it to be.

"What do you want to know?" I was willing to be open with Tyler, we had already gotten this far in our conversation. I supposed he had somewhat of a right to know what was going on, especially after how I treated him when we lost the baby.

"I don't know. You guys aren't a secret though."

I figured it wouldn't be a secret. Boston's little princess couldn't do anything, let alone chase after the crown prince of the NHL without any attention brought to it. I constantly felt violated like this. I was gone for two days, and if it had gotten around to Tyler, it had gone through many people first.

"We're friends." I guess that's all we were, since he couldn't promise me anything and we didn't want to add the stress of defining what we were doing.

"Okay…if you're happy I guess that's what matters." His voice wasn't so convincing and I knew he was saying that just because he felt the need – like it's what you say in these kinds of conversations. But I knew it wasn't true, he wouldn't want me to be happy with anyone but him for a long time, and I would probably feel the same way about him too, even though I couldn't be with him right now.

"Yeah, I'm pretty happy right now. As happy as I can be I guess." It was true and I most certainly wasn't lying to him. But this was just such an awkward conversation that it felt sort of wrong to be saying it.

"I went over to your parents' to hang out with Braedon yesterday, and your mom wants to start doing Sunday dinners again. I told her it might not be a good idea but….I don't know. It would be nice to have an excuse to see you once a week, besides at work. And your mother's cooking is hard to turn down…"

My heartstrings sort of tugged at this mention of an old tradition being revived. We always did family dinners on Sundays, but we hadn't had one since everything happened. And I was a little surprised that he was at my parents', especially when I hadn't heard from my own brother – or really made an effort to talk to him, since he started at BU. Plus he had talked to my mother, who had probably spilled the news that I had been in Pittsburgh with Sid. She had quite the agenda of her own, and I could feel my self tense up a little.

"Yeah I don't know… I'll have to talk to her."

"Alright. I just miss you I guess, don't listen to me…"

"I miss you too, Ty. I really do. It's just… you scare the shit out of me."

"Yeah, tell me about it," he laughed softly.

But he wouldn't ask me for a relationship tonight – not now. Just looking at him killed a part of me, because he represented everything I had been through over the last year. I mean, he was the reason it all happened. And though I'll never really have a reason why, it still happened. Too much has happened and I needed to get to a place where I could have my head on straight. Don't get me wrong, I missed my best friend more than anything in the world. But right now… right now it's too hard to even look at him. We could work on things – maybe make it easier to be around one another, but I couldn't love him in the same way right now. Maybe someday….

Tyler started shifting and I sat up, as he got up off the bed and stood awkwardly in front of me. I rose too, and he took me in his arms once again and squeezed me.

"You know I love you, right?" He asked, trying to make sure I knew.

"Yeah, I know. I love you too." The words were sharp but didn't feel wrong to say.

"I'm sorry, I really am. I don't mean to be an asshole to you, it's just been hard seeing you around the rink and not being able to be like we used to. And the whole Crosby thing… I just wanted to hear it from you. I don't know."

"I know, Ty. It's okay. I've been horrible to you too." My arms were still wrapped around him and a part of me really didn't want to let go, but I had to.

"Can we be okay?" His words were sincere, and I knew it would be best for everyone if we were civil again. Maybe not friends yet, but friendly.

"Yeah, we can be okay."

"Alright good, because your mom invited my family to stay with your parents next weekend to celebrate the beginning of the season…."

"…She what?" I was surprised, sarcastic, horrified – all at the same time.

"She told me not to tell you but I figured I'd give you a heads up…"

"Ty, your sisters hate me." I sat back down on the bed, trying to imagine what next weekend would be like. It would be a complete horror show, for one. Candace, his younger sister, has absolutely despised me from day one and now, I was public enemy numero uno to her. His youngest sister, Cassidy, was always sweet to me, and she's a little too young to fully understand what's going on, so she wouldn't be so bad. But his mother… she was on my mom's team. Having them both together under one roof was always a little crazy. You'd think they were sisters separated at birth or something. And since his parents had gotten divorced over the last year, I wasn't sure if he would be there or not, but I guess I'll find out.

"It'll be fine," he reassured me. "I should let you get settled though, I really didn't mean to bombard you. I wasn't really thinking."

"Alright, I'll walk you down."

I followed Tyler downstairs and outside once again. It was completely dark and it had cooled off a bit, and I wished I had a jacket to keep me from shivering.

"I'll talk to you later. Night, Char." Tyler pressed his lips to my forehead, just where Sidney had only a few hours earlier, and got in the driver's seat of his Maserati before I could respond.

Dumbfounded by the past couple hours, I headed back into the house, only to remember that I had left my phone downstairs the entire time and I had forgotten to let Sid know I made it back to Boston alive.

There was only one text from him, just wondering where I was and if I made it back safe, but I decided to call him instead of text him my response. I already missed the sound of his voice and I could talk while laying in bed with a movie and my cats, who were thankfully alive under Chelsea's care. I decided I'd leave out the conversation and encounter I just had with Tyler, atleast for now. I didn't need him to worry and it didn't really concern him at all.

...

By Thursday I was completely exhausted from working all week. Dad knew I had taken off for the weekend but didn't question me about it. In fact, he didn't say a single word about my impromptu trip to Pittsburgh, and I didn't say anything. We had an interesting relationship I guess, and he was starting to understand that I had to do some things for myself and didn't need his approval – nor did I really care about it at this point. He wouldn't fire me like he used to when I was wild, and I had gotten my act together exponentially over the past couple months. I knew he had probably heard rumors about Sid and Tyler but he went on about the usual business and kept me busy planning and keeping track of people.

As I sat at my desk, my phone erupted with vibrations and my mother's picture. As much as I didn't want to answer it, I had to. I just couldn't let on that I knew what she was talking about, even though I was beyond furious that Tyler knew about the weekend plans before I did, and that he had already briefed me.

"Hello?" I half sighed, already annoyed with the conversation before it even began.

"Hi, sweetie! How was your weekend? You didn't cause trouble with Sidney did you?"

I rolled my eyes, her voice too energetic – meaning she would try to talk me into doing something she already knew I had no interest in being a part of.

"It was good, Mom. No trouble. How was yours?"

"Oh it was wonderful, Tyler came over and spent time with Braedon. Have you talked to him?"

"Talked to who?" I asked, not knowing whether she meant Tyler or Braedon.

"Tyler, who else?" she sounded offended that I didn't know who she was referring to.

Good god.

"No, I haven't talked to him," I lied straight through my teeth.

"Well, his parents and his sisters are going to be staying with us this weekend. They're flying in tomorrow afternoon. We're going to have dinner here tomorrow night and Sunday we're going into the city to see the Orchestra." My mother's enthusiasm was slightly terrifying by this point.

"Nice, well have fun." I was short with her, trying not to let on that I had already made nice with Tyler and that things would actually go a lot smoothly than she had planned. But I knew I had to play her game, and she would try to make everything right in the world, especially between Tyler and I, so I had to put up some sort of fight or she would be completely suspicious.

"Excuse me, you know you're expected to be there."

"What if I have plans?"

"Then you know you're expected to cancel them."

And sure enough, the next night I was driving home to Wellesley to have dinner with the Seguins and my family.


	12. Twelve

**A/N: Eeek, I knew that last chapter would stir some things up. Don't hate me, and don't worry too much! Thanks for reviewing, as always! And again, I wish I could update this every day, but I'm home for the holidays and spending time with my family, which means more time away from the computer. I hope y'all understand. Happy holidays!**

I wished my mother would put more pressure on my sister Allison to get her butt home from LA so I could avoid some of the attention, but she "had it together," which meant I probably wouldn't see her again until Thanksgiving.

Tyler called earlier and asked if I wanted him to pick me up on his way though the city but I figured that showing up in one car would spark some unnecessary comments and it would just be easier to drive separately. When I pulled up in front of my parents' house, his Maserati was parked in the driveway, along with some blue Ford SUV that looked like a rental. I'd made quite an entrance, even though I was early – arriving at 6:15 for dinner at 7.

It was freakishly warm for the first weekend in October, so I wore a peach colored skater-style dress and strappy leather wedges with an oversized heather grey cardigan. I almost felt like I should ring the doorbell, but I knew that was ludicrous, and opened the large front door, only to be practically assaulted by my mother's attention and the aromas of what she had in the oven. She hugged me and gushed over my outfit, while I observed the activities on the first floor. Tyler and his dad Paul, and Dad and Braedon were in the living room in front of Sports Center, while Tyler's mom Jackie and his sisters Candace and Cassidy were busy in the kitchen. Well, mostly Jackie was busy. Candace stared at her iPhone while she stood by the stove, her back against the counter, her left arm crossed across her torso, and Cassidy sat at the island.

Mom dragged me into the kitchen, where Jackie greeted me with all smiles and a warm hug. She was always so pleasant to me.

"How are you, hun?" She asked, as she returned to her task of assembling the salad.

"I'm good, really good. Busy. How was your flight?"

"Oh it was just fine, we're glad to be here though." Her voice was soft and sweet, and hit me right in the stomach, where all my nostalgia seemed to manifest.

"That's good. It smells great in here," I complimented, as my mother tended to the oven and the stove simultaneously.

Sid had been texting me most of the day while he had time to. The Penguins played their second-to-last preseason game against the Capitals and had come out on top, something I was very pleased to hear.

_6:22 PM_

_- How's dinner?_

I had told him about Tyler's family coming to visit, and he didn't seem to mind that I would be spending a lot of time with them this weekend. I tried to be stealth about texting him back, seeing as I didn't want to look like princess bitch in over there, but I gave him a quick reply.

_6:23 PM_

_- Not so bad. Miss you! _

_- Miss you too :)_

Cassidy stood up and came over to give me a hug, and I openly greeted her. I loomed over her in my heels, but she had grown since I had seen her last, even though it was only 5 months ago. She had always been sort of stand-offish with me, but I was glad she could be civil. Candace, on the other hand, hadn't bothered to look up from her phone. I couldn't figure out where the selfish brat thing came from, but she had always been like that. Jackie realized that Candace was already emanating with bitchiness, so she went over and gave her a quick elbow to the ribs.

"Hi," she muttered, still not making eye contact.

I didn't reply, and after spending a few more minutes in the kitchen, I moved onto the living room to say hi to all the guys. Tyler's dad stood up to hug me, and I was honestly surprised that he was here considering the divorce. But some people are better off as friends than married, I suppose. The dynamic wasn't tense and that was refreshing.

I made small talk with Paul and then plopped down next to my little brother on the sectional couch, and started to ask him how gearing up for his first college hockey season was going. I didn't realize that his first home game was on Sunday afternoon until he said something about his nerves kicking in. Maybe Mom had forgotten to mention it or figured I had already known, but I guess we were all going to go before the Orchestra. I could feel Tyler's eyes on me, watching my mouth move, my hands fidget, my legs shift.

Mom called us to dinner and we all ate our roasted pork tenderloin with haricot vert and red potatoes over some catching up. I sipped at my wine, trying to drink enough to take the edge off of sitting next to Tyler. Our fathers talked about the upcoming college and professional seasons, and different strategies for both Braedon and Tyler to play to their potential in their upcoming games. Mom and Jackie gossiped about other Bruins and people in their inner "mom" circle, which terrified me, knowing there were more of them. Candace was seated next to Braedon, which was horribly awkward considering she had tried to put moves on him before, which were quickly shot down. Braedon could do better, and even though she was all boobs and bleach blonde, he was smarter to fall for just looks alone.

Everyone finished and we ate chocolate fondue for dessert, and after helping my mother clean up the dining room and kitchen, I started to switch gears and think about heading back into the city. I started saying goodbye to everyone, and when Tyler picked up on the fact that I was leaving, he started to say bye to people too, claiming he was tired from practice and had an early start tomorrow. I walked out the door, and didn't hear it close behind me, so I knew Tyler was only a few paces back. I turned around, which gave him enough time to catch up with me.

"Damn, they had no idea." He sounded amused, accomplished.

"Yeah, I guess." I wasn't really thinking about how successful we were at keeping our conversation a secret, but apparently Tyler was.

"Wanna go get a drink or something?"

I was surprised by his proposal. "Uh, I don't know, Ty. I'm pretty tired. I think I'm just gonna head home."

"Oh, yeah.. yeah, I should go home too."

He was obviously let down, but I really didn't want to spend a lot of time with him right now. And where were we gonna go to 'get a drink'? He wasn't 21 yet, and I wasn't about to sweet talk a bartender, or invite him back to my place. I just wanted to get home and call Sid before we both fell asleep.

…

The drive home seemed longer than usual, but I was anxious to call Sid and wanted to wait until I was settled in my bed for the night. I changed into some Nike running shorts and a tank and crawled under my comforter, and plugged my phone in to charge so it wouldn't die on me. I scrolled through my contacts and sent him a call, and only had to wait for it to ring twice before he answered. It was only 10:45, but I didn't really know what his schedule was like.

"Hey." Sid sounded tired but content. The sound of his voice sent some indescribable feeling coursing through my body, and I unconsciously smiled.

"Hey, sorry if it's late, I just wanted to talk to you before I went to bed."

"No don't worry, I'm up. How did everything go tonight?"

"It was alright. It was kind of weird, I don't know. They hate me, they just don't show it. Your game went well, right?" I wanted to quickly change the subject. I really felt like I needed to tell him about my conversation with Tyler, but I couldn't yet. I didn't want to ruin the mood, nor did I really know how to tell him. It wasn't important now.

"Yeah it was good. I thought Geno was gonna give it to Ovechkin but he realized that the season hasn't even started yet," he explained, laughing a little at the idea of Geno already dropping the gloves before it truly mattered.

"Well he won't have to wait long, the season's just around the corner. Are you really busy until then?"

"Finally, it feels like it's been forever. Nah, not horribly busy. Mostly just the usual, a few practices, an away game in Montreal, and team meetings until the 15th."

"That's good, I'm sure it'll fly by and then you can get into your full season routine."

"Yeah, we'll see."

I pictured Sid in his bed, with maybe his TV on a hockey game. I wanted so desperately to be back in Pittsburgh with him, and I got that weird, homesick feeling you get when you can't be with someone at the exact moment you want to be.

"I wish I was there with you," I admitted, truthfully.

"Me too. What does the rest of your weekend look like?"

"I don't really know what I have going on tomorrow. I wanted to go shopping but I feel like my mom will want to come, which means it'll be a whole production. And Sunday we're going to Braedon's first game and then to the orchestra in the evening."

"Oh nice, well that'll all be good. I'll shoot Braedon a text, wish him good luck."

"He'd love that," I gushed, maybe too much. He really was the sweetest, and Braedon would be more than ecstatic to get a good luck text from Sidney Crosby.

"I'll do my best to not forget then," he said, his voice sincere.

"You're the best. Ugh, why are you so far away right now?"

"I'm not that far, it just seems like it."

"I know, but I miss you. Things are weird here," I grumbled, probably annoying him with my whining.

"I'm sorry, it'll get better though."

"Yeah….yeah I guess. I shouldn't keep you up, I'm sure you're exhausted. I just wanted to hear your voice before I went to sleep." My own exhaustion hit me and I didn't want to risk falling asleep on the phone with him, so I figured it'd be best to let him go.

"Alright, yeah I should get to bed. Goodnight, Charlotte. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Night Sid," I said and hung up the phone.

Sleep came fairly easily, with a smile on my face and my cats snuggled up next to me.

…

I woke up fairly early for a Saturday, around 8:30, and went downstairs to make some coffee. I wasn't a huge coffee drinker but it was a chilly morning and I felt like I needed an extra boost. I was emotionally bogged down from dealing with Tyler and physically exhausted from working all week and dealing with my mother last night. I just felt like the life was sucked out of me. But as my coffee was brewing, I received a good morning text from Sid, and immediately my spirit was lifted again.

_8:38 AM_

_- Good morning beautiful :)_

_- Good morning yourself!_

I walked a few steps over to the fridge from the Keurig that sat on the counter to grab the half and half and the cinnamon from the cupboard on the way back to my steaming mug. I prepared my coffee and carried the mug to the living room where I sat on the couch and pulled a blanket over my legs before turning the TV on. I continued texting Sid, and we mostly chatted about his plans to do almost nothing on his off day after he worked out, and how I was just waiting for my mother to call me to spend time with her and the Seguins.

I really wasn't up for it, but sure enough she called around 10, expecting me to have already showered and gotten ready for the day. Which I had, I had just gotten out of the shower when she called, and she wanted me to meet Jackie, Candace, Cassidy and her in the city for lunch before we did some shopping around the city. I threw on some black leggings and a baggy cable knitted grey sweater, some tall brown leather boots and a red scarf. It was supposed to be cold compared to last night and I completed my outfit with a pea coat before I left my place around 11:30. I decided taking the T would be easier than driving, so I set out to Quincy Market where I would meet everyone.

I arrived and found everyone waiting around outside. And of course my mother had forgotten to mention that Tyler would be there. I knew he had practice and dry land training and conditioning today but I didn't know which came first or what time either started. He seemed to have entertained them enough while they waited for me to arrive, while people stopped to talk to him and ask for autographs and take a few pictures. We picked the most public place in Boston to have our outing. I doubt my mother thought anything less of that.

We grabbed some food at the marketplace and did a little shopping but my patience began to wear thin while my mother babbled on and on about how promising this season looked for Tyler, and how things would "begin to fall into place." Between that, and Candace's horrific glances shot my way, and people approaching us, I couldn't deal with it much longer. Without causing too much of a scene in the middle of Urban Outfitters, I told my mother I was leaving and said goodbye to everyone and left promptly. It was just too much too soon, and I couldn't pretend to be all happy in front of the people that expected us to look perfect. I just couldn't fake it with Tyler.

Something really clicked on my subway ride home. I couldn't be with Tyler. Period. Not now, not sure if ever. We had done our talking and made our peace and that would be that. I wanted to focus my energy on Sid and see where this relationship could go – if it could even really be a relationship. I had some serious moving on to do. And while I didn't want Sidney to be a rebound, he came into my life at maybe the worst possible time, and I think I needed him. I clearly didn't depend on him but I knew that there was something between us that wasn't there with Tyler, and I couldn't just pass up on that.

I got off the T and walked the three blocks to my brownstone. I checked my watch, and it was only just 2 o'clock now. I barely even lasted 2 hours with them. I dug around in my purse for my keys and as I stuck the key in the lock and tried to twist it, I realized that the door was already unlocked. Huh. I pushed it open, and panicked as soon as I heard the TV going. I rounded the corner and there, sitting on my couch, was Sid. My heart leapt up into my throat and he jumped up, taking a few large steps over to me and wrapping me in his arms. My eyes were still wide, in disbelief, and I wasn't able to say anything quite yet. I just rested my head against his chest and clung to him as if it had been forever since I had last seen him. I saw his small suitcase next to the chair in the corner, and his jacket was draped over the half-wall of the living room. Finally we released each other, after what hadn't really been that long.

"Shit, Braedon said you weren't gonna be home for a while," Sid laughed, and I put my stuff down on the end table.

"Braedon? Did he do this?" I was just plain surprised. One thing after another, but if they had been plotting, they were good about it. I literally had no idea that Sid was coming.

"Yeah… I mean, I texted him last night when you went to bed to wish him good luck and we started talking some more." We both sat down at this point, and I draped my legs over his thighs and he rested one arm on my shin and the other on the armrest of the couch. "He talked about dinner and said that you were all going to go shopping today and then to his game and the Orchestra with the Seguins tomorrow…and that you were miserable with them here and a few other things. But I asked if it would be totally crazy to come surprise you, and he said yes."

I laughed at him and rested my head on his shoulder.

"So I took advantage of the private jet at my disposal and he said he would pick me up and take me to your place and here I am. Oh, and you can't kick me out til Monday morning." He finished explaining how he got here and I kissed him with just enough intensity to show how much I appreciated the fact that he was here.

"You know you're gonna have to wear a tux tomorrow if you're coming to the Orchestra…" I smirked, the thought of him in a tux making me slightly flustered. Which reminded me, I'd have to actually tell my mother that Sid was here… which would foil all of her premeditated plans at patching my relationship with Tyler. Sid motioned with a nod towards the door, and on the coat rack was a black bag hanging on a hook.

"You're just two steps ahead of me," I said, smiling, and he cupped my face with his large hands and planted his lips on mine.

His phone started ringing and he dug around in his pocket for it. My brother's name popped up on the screen and I was a little surprised, but he answered happily and I listened to this side of the conversation, curious as to what they could be talking about now.

"Hey, bud…yeah…yeah she actually came back early…yeah, she's here. hold on," he pulled the phone away and directed his attention back to me. "I told Braedon I'd skate with him, he was just going to get his stuff at school while I dropped my suitcase here and then pick me back up. Is that okay? We thought you'd be gone longer…I can stay if you want."

"Wait, how long have you been here?" I asked, curious. They seemed to have a plan and though Sid looked like he was settled when I walked in, maybe he had just sat down.

He glanced down at his watch. "Like, 20 minutes?"

I laughed, just sort of taken aback by the entire situation. "Of course, go. I need to go grocery shopping and do a couple of other errands anyway."

"You're the best," Sid said and quickly pecked my cheek before putting the phone back to his ear. "Yeah I'm still coming…sounds good." He hung up and put his phone back in his pocket.

"Did you bring skates?" I asked, still sort of clueless about the details.

"Yeah, I just left them in his truck." He started to get back up and put his black Penguins warmup jacket on. I got up and looked out the window, and I saw my brother's Navy pickup pull up to the front of my house.

"He's here," I alerted him, as he pulled his shoes on.

I decided I might as well walk out with them and head off to the store to get some food. My fridge was pretty barren and with the amount that Sid ate, I'd have to stock up. Sid hopped up into the passenger's seat and I walked around to Braedon's side as he rolled down the window.

"Sometimes I like you, I hope you know that," I joked.

"Yeah, I know. We won't be gone long."

"Okay, have fun."

I waved them off and got into the Audi. On my way to Whole Foods, my head spun. I was elated that Sid had come to surprise me and save me from this hellish weekend, but it would pose some challenges with my mom and the Seguins. Having Sid here reaffirmed my decision to focus on what I have with him; we would just have to see how the events tomorrow would play out. So I tried to put the worries out of my mind and instead, fill my mind with ideas for dinner and how we would spend our night together.


	13. Thirteen

**Author's Note****: Thank you all for being so patient with me. This is a long chapter so I hope it will be worth the wait. There's a lot going on in this story right now and I felt I couldn't cut the chapter too short without making any progress. As you finish it, you'll definitely notice it's incomplete, so I'm getting to work immediately on continuing the next part. As always, your reviews are incredible, and it really helps when this story gets hard to write sometimes! I read all of them and it was cool to see that some of you had this story recommended to you, so thanks again! **

I woke up Sunday morning tangled in my sheets, my bare skin half exposed to the cool air of my bedroom. I was tempted to get up and turn the heat on but that would mean having to get out of bed, and I wasn't ready to do that yet, so I just pulled the covers back over me. Both cats were asleep at the foot of my bed, and judging from the light streaming through the window, it was still very early. I rolled over and took in the sight of Sidney asleep next to me. I had almost forgotten he was there when I first woke up, but as soon as I saw him, my cheeks began to heat as I remembered last night.

* * *

Sid and Braedon got back from skating at around 5:30, which was longer than I had thought they would take but I was happy that they were spending time together, especially since I knew Braedon was nervous about his first college game tomorrow. Braedon had a team dinner but I made him stay until he absolutely had to go, so he and Sid snacked in the kitchen while I cooked. They were getting along like old friends, even though there was a good seven-year age difference between them. It was nice to watch and I felt more of a sense of ease that Sid had gotten Braedon's mind geared toward the game and that his nerves were hopefully alleviated as much as possible. I hugged him goodbye and as I closed the door my phone began to ring. Morgan. It had been a few days since I had talked to her, so I picked it up out of necessity as I walked back to the kitchen.

"Hello?" I asked into the phone, taking a seat at the island while Sid took over tending to the stove. Sid gave me a half questioning look, concerned that it may be someone unfavorable calling but I gave him a reassuring smile and he went back to watching the chicken on the grill pan.

"Okay, so when were you going to tell me Sid is there?!"

I rolled my eyes. How did she already know?

"Uh, jesus, Morgan. He just got here a little while ago, I would've told you eventually. Why- I mean, who told you?"

"He went to Ristuccia with Braedon, apparently Tyler saw them…" Her voice trailed off, realizing that she really should've minded her own business and left Tyler out of this one.

"Oh, so he told you?" I didn't know they went to the Bruins' practice rink. I thought they would've stayed in the city. If my little brother was still here, I would've bored holes into him with the heat from my glare, but instead I tried to just remain calm. But Tyler had talked to Morgan about Sid and me and that irked me to no end.

"Well yeah, he didn't know he was going to be there. Nothing happened, not that I know of." Morgan quickly became defensive.

"Alright. I gotta go, I don't really have time for this right now." I was tired of her getting into my business and it seemed like she was trying to create a riff between Sidney and I, after he had only been here for a few hours.

"Okay, sorry Charlie, I just – I don't know. I'll talk to you later."

I hung up the phone without another word and Sid turned back around.

"What was that about?" he asked, probably having some suspicion that it was about him.

"Oh it was just Morgan. I guess Tyler told her that he saw you at the rink. She makes everything out to be such a huge deal." I sighed, and nervously picked at my nail polish.

"They were just gearing up for practice when we were leaving. I saw him in passing, that's all," he said calmly, bringing my anxiety level down.

"Yeah, I know nothing would happen. Tyler seems like he's calmed down. It's just the fact that Morgan is meddling in my business again, and he's fueling it. She wonders why I don't tell her anything..." I could feel myself beginning to rant and I tried to put a stop to it.

"Don't worry about them. They have nothing to talk about, really." Sid was trying to make the situation more light hearted, and I tried to listen to him as best as I could. I tried to just focus on him, and attempted to cast away thoughts of my recently failing friendships with Chelsea and Morgan. I really never talked to them as much as I should, and when I did it was only out of necessity or convenience. It was hard to maintain friends with my lifestyle, but they had been around the longest so far, and it was really just starting to bother me that they were creating more problems than necessary – atleast Morgan was.

We ate our dinner and I was fiending for some chocolate so we put our jackets on and walked down the block to a gelato place. I felt badly, knowing Sid really shouldn't have sweets right now but he didn't seem to mind, so I got a pint of dark chocolate and we returned to the house. It was late enough and cold enough that there weren't many people out, so we had no trouble being out in public.

I got a bowl out of the cupboard while Sid took off his jacket and shoes, and made himself comfy on the couch. I scooped the frozen treat and grabbed a spoon and curled up next to Sid on the sofa.

"You gonna share that or what?" He asked, eyeing the spoonful of ice cream I was shoveling into my mouth.

I rolled my eyes, jokingly reluctant to share my treat with him but I fed him a spoonful and I might have purposely gotten chocolate all over his face in the process. Sid looked at me with those eyes and I couldn't help but feel guilty, so I laughed before kissing the mess off his face. He caught me in a deep kiss, unexpectedly as I got the last bit from the corner of his mouth. My heart fluttered a little, as the butterflies expanded in my stomach, and I put my ice cream down on the coffee table without letting our lips part. I started to lean back, and laid down so my shoulders were pressed against the arm of the couch. Sid followed, repositioning himself between my legs, his weight heavy but not crushing. My hands found their way under his shirt, feeling the muscles of his back shift as our bodies moved. His mouth was sweet, and as our tongues explored and wrestled with one another's, his right hand slid up and down my side. His lips wandered down and back up my neck, and he nipped my earlobe before he spoke.

"Let's go upstairs."

He made me nervous as hell, if I was being honest. I couldn't say no to him even if I wanted to, so I nodded and without a word we headed up to my bedroom. He followed me up the stairs, and I could feel his eyes on me, watching me ascend the steps. I opened the door to my room and Sid put his hands on my waist and spun me around. My room was dark, with only a little light coming in through the window from the streetlights below us. Sid's face was shadowy but I could make out his expression before he held my face in his hands and collided his lips with mine again.

I wanted all of him, so bad, and the look on his face was nothing but burning desire before his mouth met mine. I didn't want to feel desperate for his touch so I let him make most of the advances, but his skin was impossible to keep my hands off of and his kiss made me completely lost. We had each other's tops and pants off quickly and our now frantic movements shifted towards the bed. Sid sat down and pulled me on his lap, where I straddled his legs, grinding on his bulge each time I moved to deepen the kiss. He unhooked my bra with one easy pinch, and had his mouth on my chest before I could even get my bra off.

The rest happened so fast but it felt like slow motion at the same time. All of a sudden it seemed like I was beneath him, his stiff, throbbing dick had been sheathed in a condom, and I was clawing at the firm muscles of his back as he pushed himself inside of me. It was ecstasy, it was bliss. I could see the outline of his figure in the dim glow from the window but I was relying almost entirely on touch, and as his body rocked back and forth in a stead rhythm, my hips moved with his, and my skin crawled as deep groans escaped from Sid's throat. I had an urge to be on top – to ride him until he came, but he was already thrusting hard and at a pretty good rate, and it wasn't long before we were both sent over the edge.

Sid pulled out and tied off the condom before putting it in the small trashcan next to my bed. He repositioned himself and pulled me up against his left side, our sweaty bodies melted into one continuous being. I laid there, my face against his sturdy chest, completely mesmerized by the situation. I was falling for him – hard. I really was. It was terrifying and exciting and I couldn't keep my thoughts straight, but as I took in the scent of his sex-soaked skin, and felt the warmth of his body, and heard the deep _thud _of his heart, and felt the pressure of his lips occasionally on the top of my head, I realized that I had never felt about anyone the way I felt about Sid. Not even Tyler. I needed to spend more time with Sidney, and get to know him more. I craved his presence, and it was so difficult living so far away. We laid there for quite a while – barely saying anything, just feeling each other. His fingers traced invisible paths into my back and I played with the hair at the nape of his neck, and I pulled the duvet over our bare skin after we had cooled down enough.

"You wanna hear something crazy?" Sid asked, breaking the silence after some time.

"Sure," I said, not really knowing what his answer would be.

"I think…I think I – "

My phone exploded on the nightstand next to him, breaking his train of thought with the obnoxious vibrating. I rolled my eyes and he reached behind him to grab it. It could very well be important, even though I felt rude. But Sid saw who was calling before he showed me and when I saw Tyler's name pop up on the screen, my stomach flipped.

"Just ignore it." I tried to brush it off. "He'll leave a message or something if it's important."

"Okay."

"What were you saying?" I asked, trying to get him back on the previous mystery subject. But before he could begin his answer, my phone came to life again.

"Do you want to answer it?" Sid asked, and my heart was pounding from the adrenaline that had made its way through my body. It almost made me regret talking to Tyler and figuring things out with him. I'm sure it gave him the impression that he could come around and call whenever he pleased, which just wasn't the case.

"No, it's fine," I grumbled. I didn't want Tyler interrupting my time with Sid but it was already too late.

"Is it bad that I think I'm falling in love with you?"

My mouth went dry. I wasn't expecting that one. At all.

"No – not at all." I stumbled over the words but I didn't know what to say. "I feel the same."

"Alright, good. I don't want to feel crazy anymore for not being able to get you out of my head.

"If you're crazy for it then I should be institutionalized," I joked, and he let out an easy laugh.

"Damn, you wear me out though," Sid sighed, rolling over onto his stomach. He looked exhausted, and I knew he was probably wiped from travelling and a hard week of practicing and games on top of what just happened.

"I could go to sleep right now." It was probably only around 11:30 if I was guessing correctly, but it felt way later.

"I might have to." Sid's voice had gotten a little deeper in his exhaustion and I knew a tired voice when I heard one.

"Let's go to sleep then, we have an interesting day ahead of us tomorrow…" I tried not to think about the potential disaster Braedon's game and the orchestra could be with the Seguins but it was impossible not to get anxious about it.

"Goodnight, Char."

"Goodnight Sid," I reciprocated, and he pulled me close against him again and we drifted off in no time.

I woke up not long after to Sid's voice, having a one-sided conversation. The glow of my phone against his cheek started to make me more alert, my focus becoming less fuzzy with sleep. He tried to keep his voice low but I was a light sleeper, and it was impossible for me to try to go back to sleep now that my attention had been grabbed. Sid had rolled over on his other side, not facing me, so he wouldn't know I was awake and listening to his side of the conversation.

"You what?... No, she's sleeping now, man... I said she's sleeping, I'm not waking her up for this…Don't try to drive, just get a cab back to your place… Don't worry about your car, you can get it tomorrow… Seguin, come on. Pull yourself together and just get home and get to bed. Don't be stupid about this. We'll see you tomorrow."

Sid sounded grumpy and tired, and I couldn't decide whether I should let him now that I had heard him on the phone or just pretend to go back to sleep. And the mention of Tyler…. Why had he called again? My alarm clock said 2:34, and I was miffed that he had the nerve to call again so late.

"What was that about?" I tried to sound more sleepy than I actually was, like I had just woken up, but I was a lot more awake than I let on, and I figured I should let him know that I heard him.

"Oh… nothing. He had called like 5 times since you fell asleep, and I decided to just answer it to get him to shut up. He's just being a drunk idiot." Sid pressed his lips to my forehead and the warmth of his mouth put my mind at ease. "Just go back to sleep."

"Alright… God I can't believe he's such a dick."

"I can…" Sid probably hadn't meant to say that aloud, or maybe he had. "Let's just go back to bed."

I got close to him, his arms protectively wrapped around me, and I drifted off to sleep once again.

* * *

I couldn't get my mind off Sid's side of the conversation last night. Tyler had wanted to talk to me about something but Sid wouldn't let him, which was considerate of him not to wake me, but if Sid hadn't been there, I would've just been able to find out what was going on with Tyler. I couldn't blame Sidney though, but it was impossible not to think of all the scenarios that my stupid ex could've gotten himself into.

Sid's chest rose and fell with the deep breaths he inhaled and exhaled, and he looked so perfect sleeping – hair disheveled, his mouth slightly open. I made my choice, and I was laying beside him. But the Tyler situation irked me, so I tried to reach across Sid to grab my phone as carefully as I could so I wouldn't wake him. My screen showed 3 missed calls, 6 texts and a voicemail from Tyler and a missed call and 2 texts from Morgan. _Jeez, what happened last night?_ I was almost afraid to look at it, but I unlocked the screen and started going through the texts.

From what I could decipher from both Tyler and Morgan's texts and Tyler's voicemail, they had drunkenly had sex at a party thrown by Brad Marchand. I saw red, and immediately my eyes began to sting with the imminent tears that would push their way to the surface and spill down my face. Tyler was practically crying in his voicemail and Morgan's texts were apologetic but there was a sense of distance in them, which made me feel like she didn't regret it. She probably figured I had Sidney now and Tyler needed some easy rebound fuck to get his mind off of me. I knew she could be kniving but I didn't think she would turn malicious. I knew Brad's parties well – they were out of control and usually people regretted what they did at them, but this – this was something else.

I thought back to when Morgan called about Sidney being here. She had clearly been talking to Tyler then, and I should've made a connection. This drunken "mistake" wasn't the first time something had happened between them. Maybe the first time they had had sex, but not the first time they had talked behind my back. If she was getting dirt from Tyler, then I was an idiot for trusting him. I tried to be quiet about sniffling my nose as it ran, but Sid must've heard it.

"What's wrong?...Oh… Charlotte…" His voice was still tired but he saw me reading the messages on my phone over and over again, my eyes burning and focused on the words displayed across the screen. Atleast I could tell Tyler hated what he did, but Morgan's texts were brief and cold.

"Is this what he called about last night?" I showed him the message from Tyler that initially said he had slept with Morgan, and he nodded after decoding the drunken, jumbled letters.

"I'm sorry, Charlotte," Sid said apologetically, though he had nothing to apologize for. He started to sit up and propped himself up on one elbow. "He's an idiot, plain and simple."

"I know he's a dumbass," I choked out through tears, "but Morgan is supposed to be my best friend."

"How am I even supposed to look at him today?" The thought of having to deal with Tyler and his family for the entire afternoon and evening made the tears come harder. Sid took me in his arms and I buried my face in his neck.

"If you don't go then it'll make him feel like he won - like he got away with it. You don't really have an option. If you want to give him the upper hand, then we can stay here all day. But your brother would be upset if you missed his game and god only knows how your mother is going to react..." He was trying really hard to comfort me, and it was working, as I smiled a little at the thought of my mom freaking out over my absence.

"I shouldn't even be crying," I sobbed, mad at myself for caring so much.

"Yes you should, your best friend just stabbed you in the back. I'd be worried if you weren't crying."

I smiled a little. He genuinely cared.

"But you need to make them both feel guilty, and the only way to do that is to act like it doesn't affect you."

I figured he knew what he was talking about. I'm sure Sid has dealt with difficult losses in games and personal situations and was speaking from experience on how to conduct yourself in public at a time like this. I was one to cower in my house when I was upset, so I looked up to Sid's courage. I could learn a lot from him about self-composure, that's for sure.

"I need to get something else to wear," I groaned, thinking to the evening dress hanging in my closet that I had originally planned on wearing tonight. It was pretty but nothing special. And maybe some retail therapy would help distract me.

"Then you need to get your butt in the shower if you want to make it to Braedon's game."

I sighed, wiping the tears from my cheeks and got out of bed. My skin became blanketed with goose bumps as my entire body was exposed to the chilly room, and I started up the shower. I climbed in and let the hot water practically burn me. I could hear bare feet padding along the hardwood of my bedroom and then the tile of the bathroom, and through the fog of the glass door on the shower, I saw Sidney's perfectly sculpted figure approaching, so I pushed open the door for him. Now this was starting a day off right.

* * *

After doing some serious damage to one of my dad's MasterCards on a new dress, Sidney and I met my family at Braedon's game around noon. We went through a back entrance of the rink so as to not cause a huge commotion, but it wasn't long until people started to notice us. We found my parents in a back hallway outside the dressing room while my dad spoke with the head coach, Jack Parker, one of his good friends. I was nervous but we greeted them and Sid shook both men's hands while my mother had no problem hugging him.

"Where are the Seguins?" I asked nervously, expecting Tyler to pop out at any moment.

"They're in the suite, your father just wanted to say hi to Mr. Parker before he had to get back to the team. Tyler wasn't feeling well though apparently, poor thing. But Jackie said he should make it to the Orchestra."

My mom sounded so concerned about Tyler, but they were clearly left in the dark as to why he 'wasn't feeling well.' I raised my eyebrows to Sidney, a discrete expression to communicate my surprise that Tyler didn't show up to the game. I know Braedon would be pissed, but I'd have to talk to him later about everything.

We left my parents and headed up to the team suite on the top level of the arena, taking back stairwells to avoid the thousands of people in attendance. I knew some Bruins would be there, but I wasn't sure who or how many, but we were greeted by Milan and Brittany Lucic, Brad Marchand, and Andrew Ference. Brittany and Milan and Andrew were pleasant and greeted us warmly, while Brad pretended to be preoccupied with his phone. The Seguins were there too, and we said hi to them next. They had never met Sidney before, and Tyler's dad looked like wanted to chew his ear off, but refrained and kept conversation light when he realized that a few of Braedon's other buddies from high school were waiting to ambush him next.

I let Sid talk to the younger guys after I said hi to them too and drifted back to Brittany and Milan, who had taken their seats in front of the glass window. Milan sipped at a beer that had just been delivered, while a pregnant Brit snacked on some chili fries.

"Ugh these cravings, they make me hate myself," she complained, as she picked through them with her fork. I laughed and took a seat next to her, stealing a fry from her plate. I looked at her small baby bump, remembering how it felt to have another life inside of you. A small pang hit my gut, but I couldn't help but be happy for them. They really loved each other and Brittany was always so great to me, so my jealousy could stand to take a break.

"So I heard about last night…" she whispered, her voice low enough that Brad couldn't hear her. Not even Milan had a clue that we were talking about last night's fiasco, but I'm sure he had already heard all about it.

I rolled my eyes as I began my response. "Yeah…" was all I could say.

"Tyler's an ass," she said, a little more loudly than she had intended, but lowered her tone quickly again. "He really knows how to dig himself deep. "

"I'm really upset, I'm not gonna lie. But I can't really do anything I guess. He made a choice," I said, and looked over at Sid. "And so did I."

"Well you got yourself a keeper over there," she said, looking back over at Braedon's friends and Sid, who were all still talking. They didn't look like they were bothering him at all, just hanging out and talking about hockey. One of them, Johnny, plays for Vermont and the other, Pat, was still a senior in high school. Braedon was so excited they could make it to his game, especially Johnny who had a season opener this week to worry about as well, but he would be even more stoked if he saw them now.

"He's great, he really is."

The buzzer sounded throughout the arena a few minutes later and everyone took to their seats for the start of the game. Sid sat between me and my dad, which eliminated a lot of awkward tension between the rest of the game's attendants in our suite. They chatted throughout the game, dissecting each play and talking about the other team, UMass Amherst's lack of defense.

The game was solid and Braedon's shifts were well used. Whatever Sid worked with him on yesterday was definitely paying off, and he had an assist in his first college hockey game as a starting freshman. My dad was beyond proud, beaming at his son and the skill and synchronization he was showing with his linemen. The game ended around 2:30, at a score of 3-1 BU, and Sid and I tried to get out of the suite as fast as we could.

"I hope you weren't leaving without congratulating your brother," my mother scolded. "We're going down to the locker room now or we'll run out of time before the Orchestra."

I was planning on heading down there anyway but she always had to get in a word. I didn't respond and just waited for my father to say goodbye to everyone in the suite but the Seguins and we all went down to the hallway where we first met my parents to see my brother. He was waiting out in the hall for us, knowing we were already on our way, and hands were shaken, hugs given, and we parted ways knowing that we would reunite in a few short hours.

* * *

I made Sidney get ready for the Orchestra in the guest room downstairs because I needed to fight with my hair and my face and my dress before I could let him see me. It eliminated a lot of stress while I got ready, and it helped that I had already showered and had a base layer of make up on. It was nights like these that I appreciated everything Allison had taught me about doing hair and make up. I curled my hair and fish-tailed it, pinning the braid in a low bun. It would at least be secure for the whole night. Next, I moved on to make up, doing a bronze-based smokey eye, coral blush, and peachy lips.

Now was the time for the dress. It was one of those moments when you see something in a store and can't bear the thought of leaving without it. I tried it on in the store but didn't let Sid see, and he protested, but the reveal would be worth it. I pulled it out of the bag laid out on my bed. Armed in a strapless bra and barely-there-thong, I began the daunting task of putting on the crimson colored dress. I stepped into it, and I was able to zip it myself. I slipped on the gold pumps I bought to go with it and took one final look in the mirror before descending the stairs. The dress was made of a thick material, with a strapless sweetheart neckline. It fit like a glove, hugging every curve of my body until it hit midway down my thighs, where it flared out into a mermaid-style train with very loose, flowing tiered ruffles. I spritzed some sweet smelling perfume on and put a pair of diamond teardrop earrings in and called it good.

Sid was waiting below, standing by the door in his tuxedo, texting. But he heard my shoes clunking on the wooden steps and looked up at me with a look no one had ever given me before. He smiled ridiculously at me, like a child on Christmas, like a Stanley Cup-winning goal. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, he caught me in his arms, pulling me close against his body.

"Please tell me you're real," he said.

"I think I am." I smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips, trying not to smear my make up all over his face.

"Do we have to go? I can think of a million things we could just do here…" Sid pleaded, playing with the tiny zipper at the back of the dress. He was being mischievous, and I knew this dress would be a hit.

"We have to be there in 20, we're already late."

He frowned, but before we left, Sid reached into his jacket pocket while I pulled out my coat and pulled out a black velvet box. My eyes widened, and I didn't know what it is at all, but he held it out for me.

"Open it." His instructions were simple and I followed them exactly. Laying inside the cream padded box was a necklace with an oval diamond about the shape of the nail on my pointer finger, encrusted in smaller diamonds. I didn't know what to say, or do. It was breath taking, and I felt like it was completely undeserved, but it was an incredible gift.

Finally, a smirk spread across my face and his expression eased.

"Do I have to put it on myself?"


	14. Fourteen

**Author's Note: Alright, here's the next chapter! I'm on a writing roll so hopefully I can get the next one up fast too. No promises, but I'm trying to improve my turnaround rate. On a completely unrelated note, I bought Bruins tickets today! Hockey is officially back. I'm so excited. But anyways thanks for reviewing, keep them coming! Also, I'm thinking about starting just a Seguin fic. I know a few of you read this just for Tyler and he doesn't always get a whole lot of attention in this story, so let me know what you think about that in your reviews!**

I let Sid drive us in the Audi across the city. My head spun and I played gently with the necklace he had just given me. As he put it on me before we left, he said he wanted me to forget what he said in Pittsburgh about not defining anything between us. He wanted me to be his girlfriend and I was overjoyed at the thought.

"What's that smile for?" Sidney asked, looking over at me at a red light. I must've had a stupid grin on my face the entire time since we'd left the house.

"You know what it's for." And he did. He just wanted to call me out on my childish expression.

He smiled and put his hand on my thigh, accelerating the car through the last big intersection before we got to Symphony Hall. I directed him to pull up along the front in the line of other cars where a valet would be waiting, and called my mom before we stepped out of the car. There were already people with cameras ambushed at the entrance for the gala event. This was the night that members of the Bruins, Celtics and Patriots would be in attendance, as well as other local celebrities and prominent figures.

"Hi sweetie, are you two here?" She said, answering after only one ring.

"Yeah we're outside," I said nervously, knowing that this would be a big night regardless of what happened.

"Okay, we're just inside, you can't miss us."

I hung up and Sid started to get out of the car. He handed the keys to the valet and came around to open my door, and took my hand as I stepped out, trying to gain my balance quickly in my heels. I hooked my arm around his and we walked up the front steps, through the crowd of photographers and people waiting outside into the grand front lobby of Symphony Hall.

My mother wasn't lying when she said we couldn't miss her, because she stood over in a corner cackling with Jackie Seguin, probably third glass of champagne in hand. You could hear them before you could see them, that's for sure. Cassidy and Candace clung close to Jackie, while Paul and my father were talking to my brother, their backs to the women. We walked across the lobby to everyone after I drew in a large gulp of air, and as we walked, I could feel eyes on us. You'd think they'd be focused on Tom Brady but I could feel them.

"Are people staring?" I asked Sidney in a low voice.

"Only at you," he responded, and my cheeks began to heat. "It's that dress."

We walked past groups of athletes and their fake-blonde dates. The guys pretended not to look and the 'women' attached to them couldn't help but give me nasty looks. We finally walked past a bunch of the Bruins, all chatting in a group. I had to stop and say hi to them, and maybe crack a few jokes at boys in their tuxes. I didn't see him at first, but Tyler stood towards the back of the huddle, and I glanced at him but tried to avoid all eye contact. I waved as we approached and hugged a few of them, while Sid shook hands and got a couple slaps on the back. I looked around at everyone, distracted by conversation and preoccupied in my thoughts, but when my eyes would scan around, Tyler would be looking back. I brushed off the millisecond of eye contact, though it seemed slow motion, and kept talking to Patrice Bergeron about how much he really hated the orchestra but it was always fun to get dressed up for the gala events.

We didn't stay with them long. I wanted to get away from them as fast as possible, so we moved on to my family and Tyler's family and greeted them with hugs. Candace's eyes probed Sidney, and he looked over at me, giving me a worried expression – eyes wide. I laughed and shrugged, and my dad pulled Sidney into their conversation.

"Sweetie you look stunning, that dress fits you perfectly," Jackie gushed, sipping at her champagne. Good thing we were close to the bar, I needed a glass.

"Oh… thanks. You look great, too," I said, complimenting her navy dress.

All of a sudden, my mother was reaching for my neck. I jumped back slightly, her motions quick, but I relaxed.

"And what's this?!" She held the diamond in her hand, her face getting closer to my chest to inspect the stone, and the guys turned around at my mom's loud inquiry.

"It uh.. it was a gift." I tried not to make this a huge commotion but she turned to Sid, who was caught a little off guard.

"A gift?" She asked him, and he nodded.

And then she dropped the subject. She let the necklace go and I pulled Sid over to the bar just behind everyone, but far enough out of earshot if we were quiet.

"Sorry, she picks up on everything…" I apologized to him for my mother, asking the bar tender for the champagne I had been needing since before we got here.

"It's fine, she just wasn't expecting it," he said, and ordered jack on the rocks.

"I know, she's just nuts. And did you see the way Tyler was looking at me when we were talking to the guys? He was totally staring. Should I even talk to him? I feel like I should say something – like I should just put him in his place…"

"Charlotte…Char, you need to calm down. Here, just drink all of this." He handed me my glass and I did as he said. I needed to take the edge off and I was overthinking.

"I'm sorry, I just get nervous at things like this, and everything on top of it doesn't help."

"It's okay, don't worry."

We went back to my family and the Seguins, still minus Tyler, and talked for a while longer. I managed to get three more glasses of champagne and Sid two more glasses of whiskey in before the lights started to flicker, indicating we needed to find our seats, so we followed my parents into the Hall and found our row on the floor. Tyler met up with us but he was far enough away that I didn't have to deal with him, and my brother, my parents, his parents, and his sisters were a thick enough barrier for now.

* * *

The music was good but it was honestly putting me to sleep. I was definitely feeling the alcohol and the fact that the lights were dimmed wasn't helping. Sidney grabbed my left hand with his right and held it, stroking it with his thumb. His touch was electrifying, even the smallest movement of his flesh against mine was enough to keep me awake – alert…almost aroused. And then there was only one thing on my mind, preoccupying me and completely drowning out the violins. I let go of his hand and relocated mine to the inner pant leg of his sturdy thigh. He put his hand on top of mine and held it there until the lights came back on for the intermission. Everyone worked their way back to the lobby and Sid looked at me while we were following the crowd. It was one of _those_ looks. Different than any he had ever given me before, but similar enough in nature to know that just because we couldn't leave didn't mean we couldn't find a place to be alone for 20 minutes.

Sid just discretely ordered a fifth of Tennessee Honey and stashed it quickly inside his jacket pocket, and my eyes scanned the room for the closest staircase. I told my parents we were going to go find the bathrooms and took off, searching for a private bathroom, a closet… _something_. We went upstairs where literally no one remained, sipping at the whiskey as we went. Everyone else had gone downstairs to try to make conversation and stand for pictures. We checked every door on either side of us until we finally found what looked like some sort of dimly lit VIP bathroom at the end of a hidden hallway. Sid checked the inside of the door for a lock and gave me the thumbs up, a smirk spreading across his nearly drunk face.

The second the lock clicked Sid had me in his arms. His lips were firm and wet on mine, and we moved toward the sink counter frantically, moving toward the only usable surface in the room. This had to be quick and dirty, there was just no way around it. He lifted me up on the cool marble and started to fight with my dress, peeling it up my legs as far as necessary. There would be no use in trying to get it completely off. I could see the outline of Sid's desire already trying to push free of his suit pants, so I grabbed at the waist of his pants and undid the button while he pulled down my thong. He started to pull his dick free of the briefs he was wearing and grabbed for the whiskey and a condom in his jacket pocket before he threw it to the floor. His bow-tie was next, and the top button of his freshly pressed white shirt followed. I started to kick one of my heels off but he stopped me.

"Leave those on," he said, a menacing grin on his face. I smiled, and stepped back into the shoe. "Fuck, you're so wet already," he groaned, slipping his fingers between the folds of sensitive skin that were now throbbing between my legs. I took a big swig from the bottle, choking down the sweet liquor and pulled his face close to mine, positioning my mouth right by his ear.

"Do you like it when I'm wet for you?" I asked, my voice soft but sharp with need.

"You know I love it," he replied, kissing me deeply. His teeth grazed my bottom lip and I took the condom from him, tearing the packet without breaking our kiss. He held his erection steady while I slipped the rubber down his length, and he adjusted it a little better once I had it most of the way on.

"Then you better fuck me," I demanded, and he wasted no time thrusting himself inside me.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his, and he kept his hands firmly on my ass, keeping me still so I wouldn't actually fall into the sink while he pushed deep inside. I grabbed at the short hair at the nape of his neck, the fingers on my other hand clawing at his back through the dress shirt and plain white tee he was wearing.

"Did you say something about wanting me to fuck you?" He asked, his question broken up by quick, heated breaths.

"Uh huh," I basically whimpered.

"Do you want it?" He slid out of me excruciatingly slow, then thrusted inside me again.

"Yeah," I replied, kissing the pulsing blood vessel in his neck. "I need it."

With that he thrusted hard, forcing a small, high-pitched moan from the back of my throat. I caught his lip between mine and kissed him, his tongue pushing against mine, lips sucking and pulling playfully. It was a challenge to keep the position but Sid was even stronger than he looked, and held me in place while he thrusted at the quick pace he had set. I grinded my hips against him as much as I could without falling, and the throaty groans coming from Sid sent a quick rush through my body.

It only took a few minutes at that pace for Sid's breathing to change. It was labored but I could sense the shift in the way he inhaled, making it pretty obvious that he was close to climax.

"Are you gonna cum for me?" I asked with that being-fucked voice.

"Yeah," he answered, his tone matching mine. "I'm gonna cum, Char."

"Come on…cum for me, Sid," I urged, as his hips moved faster.

"Charlotte…Charlotte..I'm.." he started to say, but he quickly found his release with one last push inside me. I clung to him as he emptied himself, and when he was done, he kissed my neck a few times before pulling out.

A dopey smile spread across his face, and I must've mirrored it.

"I don't do this with just anyone," he laughed, making it clear that he didn't find random hookup places in Symphony Orchestra halls very often.

"Neither do I," I joked, and I knew he wasn't the type to do things like this. But it was exhilarating and I was a little drunk and we weren't hurting anyone. I got up off the counter, my legs a little wobbly, and pulled my dress back down. I was surprised we even got it up that high because of how tight it is, but I turned around and started straightening myself out and fixing my hair and make up while Sid tried to get his clothes back on.

"Everyone's gonna know," Sid said, buttoning his shirt.

I smiled, blushing slightly. "Yeah…they won't say anything though. We just have to play it off well." I took a couple big gulps from the bottle of jack and called it good on the alcohol for the night.

Once I had straightened his bowtie and we looked as close to how we looked before we had sex, we walked hand in hand back downstairs to the lobby, which was still bustling with people. We couldn't have been gone more than 15 minutes, which was good. We scouted out our group, awkwardly smiling to each other the entire way there, but Tyler was standing with my mom and Jackie, and saw us coming first. He looked away once I looked back at him, but then my mom turned to us.

"Oh there you are, goodness we thought you had left."

"No we're still here, mom," I retorted, honestly surprised that we hadn't just ditched the whole thing completely. Tyler turned around and started talking to his dad, which put me at ease a little, but the lights started to flicker once more so we returned to the Hall.

* * *

The show went on for about another 45 minutes, which seemed entirely too long but I didn't pay much attention to it. After, we said our goodbyes to my family, and I uncomfortably parted ways with the Seguins, not quite sure when I'd see them again. It was a strange feeling, after I had been so close with them at one point, but Sid and I went to go get the car and found ourselves back at my house around midnight. I was definitely too drunk to drive but Sid was okay, not having nearly as much of that whiskey as I had, on top of that champagne.

"God, I'm exhausted," I complained, taking my shoes off right inside the door.

"Yeah, me too." Sid started untying his bowtie again and took his jacket off. I went upstairs, and he followed close behind me.

I put on some yoga pants and a cut up t-shirt and went to the bathroom to wash off my makeup and brush out my hair. Sid changed into a pair of gym shorts and skipped the shirt, but put his tux back in the bag he had travelled with it in and came into the bathroom to brush his teeth. I watched sort of obviously in the mirror, as his muscles moved in subtle ways I hadn't noticed before.

When he was done, I wrapped my arms around his thick torso, resting my head against his bare chest. He enveloped me in his warm embrace and held me there for a minute.

"Thanks for coming. I know it's crazy and it was really awkward with Tyler and his family and everything but it meant more to me than you know that you were here." I didn't know how I could make him see that it really meant the world to me that he had come to Boston.

"Of course, I'd be here all the time if I could, you know that."

"I know. I'd be in Pittsburgh too."

"Come on, let's go get in bed. You're drunk." He smiled and took my hand in his, and we crawled under the warm covers and fell asleep to a movie.

* * *

The morning came way too quickly. Sid woke me up, putting Oliver on my face, thinking it was hilarious. I groaned and rolled over, not wanting to wake up yet, but he rolled me back over with his strong right hand.

"I have to go soon, Charlotte."

My heart sank a little. I didn't really think about him having to leave, and I forgot it was Monday already. I opened one eye at him and closed it again.

"I saw that. Wake up," he shook me playfully, and I finally gave in and woke up, sitting up a little.

"I don't want you to go."

"I know, I don't want to go either. I have to be back in Pittsburgh before noon, and you need to get to work," he reminded me, and I rolled my eyes at the thought. I'd be late today, and that was that. Dad could deal. It was already seven, and I'd have to get ready and shower and drive across the city before I'd make it to the Garden.

"Fine. Let's go."

We got up and showered and got ready for the day, each in under 45 minutes. I really didn't want Sid to leave, I liked the idea of having him around. He was quiet and didn't drive me crazy and was always there for me. But we had to get back to reality, and he had a season starting soon, as did I. Work would be insane from now until the end of the NHL season, and I had to at least try to show up.

Sid got all of his stuff packed back up and we headed off towards Logan Airport. We talked the whole time about schedules and things, and I brought up the situation with Morgan and Tyler. I felt like I should address it with at least one of them, and Sid thought it would be better to talk to Morgan about it. She had done the most damage because she was the one who probably initiated it from the sound of things and Tyler actually sounded like he regretted it in his voicemail and his texts from that night. It made me a little sick to think about it but I couldn't just let it slide and expect my friendship with Morgan to stay the same. I planned to text her later to set up a time to talk and Sid thought that was probably the best plan. I'd have to try to avoid Tyler for a bit until I had a chance to talk to Morgan and then I could figure out what to do with him.

I pulled up to the arrivals at Logan and could feel myself uncontrollably start to tear up, out of nowhere. It wasn't like I was sad about Morgan and Tyler or having a bad day, it was just the thought of Sidney leaving again that made me feel lonely already. I got out and helped him grab his stuff, and he put it down on the curb and took me in his arms.

"Don't cry," he said, hugging me. He stepped back a little and wiped the tear working its way down my cheek.

"I'm sorry, I'm trying not to," I smiled a little. It was just a few tears.

"I'll see you soon, okay? I'll call you text you when I get to Pittsburgh."

"Okay, sounds good. Have a safe flight." I hugged him again, not wanting to let him go, but he kissed me sweetly.

"I love you," he said, looking into my eyes, cupping my face in his hands. He hadn't said that yet, and my heart began to race a little. We had admitted we were falling in love with each other but… this was monumental. Those three words don't just get thrown around, especially in my world. I'm sure it was the same for Sid, too. Especially with this life style – you don't just say that. You say it, and you mean it. I froze. But I snapped back to reality within milliseconds.

"I love you, too. I'll talk to you later."

I kissed him again, trying to shake my mind clear of all of the thoughts racing through my head and focused just on him. Then he threw his gear bag over his shoulder, kissed my forehead, and grabbed the handle of his suitcase before disappearing through the revolving door.


	15. Fifteen

**A/N: Thanks for the feedback! Things are starting to change in the story and your reviews are really helpful. As for the Tyler fic, I'll hold off on that until I finish this one. Thanks again! xo **

I was cranky from work and the rain wasn't helping my already hellish drive to meet Morgan at the Panera on Boylston. She had blown me off all week and it wasn't until Friday night that we could figure out a time to meet up and talk. I got there around 6:30 after finding a place to park and went in, to find her in line and already ordering food. I didn't really want Panera at all, so I just settled on some soup, but it was close to where she lived which was the main reason she picked it. All about convenience for her…

We got our food and sat down at a booth in the corner. She started gabbing, talking about absolutely nothing, but I really wasn't in the mood for chitchat. After the week I had, and what she pulled last weekend, the last thing I wanted to do was 'gossip' with her.

"So are you going to tell me what happened with Tyler?" I asked while she was in midsentence, my tone annoyed and volume loud enough for her to hear over her own talking. She took a bite of her sandwich to delay her response by a few chews. I'm sure she had blown me off because she was too much of a coward to talk to my face about this and was probably carefully crafting everything she would say.

"I mean, what do you want to know?" She was getting snotty with me already.

"I want to know what happened with Tyler," I repeated, looking her square in the eye. I think she was starting to get the picture that I wasn't joking about this.

"We just got drunk at Brad's, I don't know. Drunk sex happens."

It wasn't going to go her way and she was starting to get defensive. I didn't even really understand how she got invited to Brad's in the first place, if she was invited at all. She wasn't really on their radar and only tagged along to his parties when I went. The guys didn't see her as one of us, that was for sure. And drunk sex didn't just _happen_. It wasn't guaranteed when two people were drunk in the same vicinity.

"So somehow you two just ended up naked together?" I didn't want to let her off easy with this at all.

"Well he came onto me," she quickly replied. I knew she was lying then.

"It didn't sound like he was the one who came onto you." I had listened to his voicemail enough times to know that Morgan had been the one who put him in the position they were in. I knew he still played a part in it, but he didn't initiate it, which was important for me to keep in mind. She might not have blatantly done the initiating – or maybe she had – but it was her that let it get to that point. If she was a good friend then it wouldn't have even been on her radar of thought.

"Said who?"

"Tyler called that night. He definitely made it clear that you were the one who initiated things. Are you just going to admit it or do I need to keep pushing?" It was obvious that this friendship was ending tonight. Her facial expression was switching and I knew her too well, knowing this would be her tipping point. She could do all the gossiping she wanted, but when it came down to people calling her out for her own behavior, she couldn't take it.

"He's not yours anymore, Charlotte. He's a big boy, he can do what he wants… And he happened to want to do me."

_Are you fucking kidding me_. I actually couldn't believe she had just said that, and I sat there with a half-stunned smile on my face, shocked at the words that had just come out of her mouth.

"Then have fun being some stupid puck slut. He called me crying after he fucked you. How does that feel?"

"Puck slut? Sweetie, isn't that all you are?"

I could hit her.

"Just because you're jealous of my boyfriend doesn't mean you need to scavenge through my leftovers. If Tyler 'enjoyed' himself the other night, I'm sure he's called you or atleast texted you…right?"

"I've talked to him…" she hesitated.

"So you've texted him first. Right. He doesn't care about you, Morgan. He put up with you because you were my best friend, and maybe he thought it would piss me off to fuck you. Maybe he did it for attention, who knows. But he sure as hell didn't fuck you because he likes you."

"_Were?_" She didn't like the way I had said that word in relation to our friendship.

"Yeah, Morgan. You _were_ my best friend, for a long time. Hell I never talk to Chelsea anymore either. But I don't know who you've become. You're just a sad person. You feed off my lifestyle and try to roll with a crew who barely tolerates your presence. You can't do anything for yourself. So consider this friendship over, I'm done. Of all people, I would've never thought you'd turn into some Boston scum who tries to make her way around the team. Get a hint, have some respect for yourself, and get a life other than mine."

I got up before she had the chance to think of a response to one-up mine, but as I was walking away, she called after me.

"Atleast I didn't get pregnant," she snarled, and I whipped around and glared at her. People were staring at us by now, and a couple maybe even had recognized me. I was all adrenaline right now, but I felt like if I hit her then I would just be stooping down to her level.

"Atleast I grew the fuck up."

I turned around, and walked out of the restaurant, leaving my untouched soup and my ex-best friend sitting there at the table. I didn't have time for people in my life like that anymore, and it was only hurting me to keep her around. Especially if she thought she could just parade around the way she does. She has nothing to show for herself, other than a reputation for being easy. I ran through the rain to my car, trying my best not to get soaked, and drove back to Cambridge.

* * *

I made it back to my house, and I was proud that I hadn't even cried. I thought I was going to but it was less of an emotional meeting than one where I put Morgan in her place. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and gave Sid a call, settling down on my couch to tell him about the events that just took place.

He picked up the phone after two rings.

"Hey, how'd it go?" he asked right away.

"Good and bad, but mostly good I guess. God, she's atrocious." I didn't really know where to start with the whole thing.

"Well tell me what happened," he said, and I could tell he was preoccupied with something but I would talk anyway, and he would listen.

"She's just such a brat. She tried to make it out to be all Tyler's doing but that totally wasn't the case. I mean, you heard him that night. He was horrified. And she just sat there and had the nerve to talk to me the way she did. So I guess it's safe to say I'm not friends with her anymore. She was such a bitch, I can't even tell you. I'll probably hear from Chelsea in the next hour asking what happened because Morgan will go running to her, but I don't know. I guess we're all just different now."

I didn't realize how much I was rambling but Sid heard all of it.

"I don't really know Morgan but I've seen enough of her to know that she only cares about herself. You're doing yourself a favor by not being friends with her anymore, really. I know you guys were all really close at one point but things are different now," Sid said, and I heard a car door shut. He must be just getting back from practice.

"I mean it's sad but I'm not even crying. I guess that says something."

"It says that she was just holding you back. You're a much better person than she is."

It was nice to hear someone on my side. If I had talked to my mom or anyone in my family about this, they would've been so disappointed that I had basically just eliminated my entire group of friends. They didn't even know anything about what was going on with Tyler lately, so they just wouldn't understand. Sid was easy to talk to and even though he was quiet, when he spoke, he really said a lot.

"Most of the time. Anyways, how was your day?" I asked, trying to get off the subject of me.

"It was pretty good, I'm just getting back from a team meeting and dinner with a few of the guys. Things are starting to get a little intense now that the regular season is starting up in a few days." He sounded tired from the day's activities, but also like he had settled down on either the couch or his bed for a while.

"Yeah, I hear you. Work has been crazy and Dad won't let me catch a break."

I was just so exhausted with my job. There was nothing really rewarding about it anymore. Sure, I could see my family all the time – maybe too much, and I got to work with the team, but the whole idea and set up was a lot better when Tyler and I were together and…planning. I was honestly a little tired of Boston in general, as much as I love my city.

"He just wants to see you working, I'm sure. He sees that you're happier but doesn't want you to forget about what's important."

"Yeah I guess. I don't know, maybe I need a change."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, maybe go back to school or something. I'm not doing what I wanted to do…what I went to school for." Maybe my thoughts had started to stray too far but I was thinking out loud now.

"You have to do what's best for you, and you're on a pretty good track."

"I know… I don't know, I'm just thinking."

"Would you want to go to medical school or do something else?"

"It was the original plan," I started to explain, thinking back to the night when I had taken care of Sid's busted up face after Tyler hit him. I didn't plan on working for my dad when I got out of college. I was going to stay in school and live up to my potential but life got in the way before I even had a chance to finish my applications for med school.

"Then maybe you should revisit the plan. It couldn't hurt to look into it."

He was right. I needed to do what was right for me instead of trying to make everyone else happy all the time.

I kept returning to the thought of going back to school while we talked more about what was going on over the next couple of days for both of us. I didn't really have anything planned for the weekend but I thought I'd go home to Wellesley tomorrow night and see my family – and to talk to my parents about my latest idea. We said goodnight after a while and decided not to talk about a plan for the next time we'd see each other. We would just have to play it by ear.

* * *

I called my mom earlier in the day Saturday to make a plan together and of course she wanted to cook dinner. On my drive over, I rehearsed what I would tell her over and over again, trying to picture her reaction. My dad would support whatever I wanted to do but the real test was getting it approved by my mother. After I had gotten off the phone last night with Sidney, I spent a lot of time doing research into the small hours of the morning, and I had designed a crazy life for myself. So I revisited the idea this morning and tried to think of a more sensible way to go about it and that would be what I'd tell my family. It wasn't that it was crazy, it was just something different, and my parents wouldn't see it coming.

My dad, my brother and I sat at the table while my mom served everyone. Her idea of a successful night was successfully entertaining everyone, even though we weren't guests. I was always made to feel like a guest in my own house when I came home. But we went with it and ate over hockey talk and work. I decided to wait until after dessert to drop my thoughts on my family, and it was good I did because my mom had made chocolate cake and with the way she reacted, we wouldn't have ever gotten to my favorite treat.

She was infuriated.

* * *

I packed up my Audi early Wednesday morning with enough stuff to hold me over for a couple weeks. With the cats in their cat carriers, and my clothes and shoes among other things all loaded up, we hit the road for Pittsburgh.

I told my family that I wanted to go back to school. I started with that, but the part that my mother didn't like was the move to Pittsburgh that I'd be making. I told her I wouldn't start until spring semester if I got accepted to the University of Pittsburgh but she couldn't fathom the idea for some reason. She thought I had gotten settled in a new life for myself, but I was far from settled. I was sick of it. But Dad had talked to me the next day over coffee about a real plan, and he agreed to work with me on it. He pulled a couple strings and got me a temporary job broadcasting for the Penguins until the school part of the grand scheme worked out, and that he'd cover tuition as I figured he would.

So I was on my way, and I hadn't told Sid yet.

He knew I had talked to my parents and that it didn't go as smoothly as I'd liked, but he had no idea I was on my way. The hotel I booked for the next couple weeks would be temporary until I found an apartment and could actually try to start over in a new place. I'd be getting away from Tyler and Morgan and all the drama that came with my friends, and I'd be doing everything for myself for once. I had about a week to get my application in for UPitt and my job with the Penguins wouldn't start for another couple days, so I had time to get acquainted with the area and settle in a bit.

The 9-hour drive gave me plenty of time to think before I got to Pittsburgh. I was lucky that I had the resources to be able to pick up and leave Boston on just a few days notice, and I realized that not everyone was in my position. I was getting a chance that doesn't come around very often, which scared me a little. I would have to make the most of this, even though it was crazy. _Everything_ between Sid and I was pretty crazy. But nonetheless, I would make the most out of it, and I'd just have to focus on getting through tonight right now. I had gotten a comp ticket on the glass and an access pass from my dad and would figure out a way to get him to notice me at some point. I didn't want to see him before the game because I knew he was under a lot of pressure. I think he'd enjoy the surprise, and I timed the trip well so I wouldn't have too much time to kill before I'd have to be at the arena.

I got to Pittsburgh around 5. I had time to check into the hotel and unload most of my stuff, including the cats who were happy to stretch their legs. I picked up some supplies for them and they could entertain themselves for a while with the new toys I bought them instead of destroying the furniture. I changed, putting on some black leggings, a gold peplum shirt, and I added five inches to my height with some black wedges. I did my makeup and straightened my hair, trying to look my best for the surprise visit.

I headed for the Consol around 6, which gave me enough time to battle some traffic, find a place to park and then grab a drink on my way to my seat before the puck dropped at 7:30. I didn't get the convenience of a close parking spot, having to park in a garage, but I had the access pass to get through the building quickly. Doors had already been opened and the place was packed with fans for the home opener against the Penguins' biggest rival, Philly. I found my seat toward center ice and the Penguins and Flyers were still stretching before retreating off the ice for one last team huddle before the start of the game. I spotted Sidney across the ice from me, stretching with Malkin and Neal, but I realized there'd be no way he would see me until he skated right up to my side.

I sipped at my drink, and a few moments later Sid was skating in my direction. I stood up, getting close to the glass, and as he approached it, I knocked on the plexiglas panel a few times. His hazel eyes made contact with mine quickly, and as he started to skate past, it must've hit him that it was me he had just seen, not some other random fan because he turned around and skated past me one more time, hitting the glass with his glove like he had the last time I had come to one of his games as a grin quickly spread across his face. He saw me. I could relax now, and try to enjoy the game.

The game was getting intense with the Penguins leading, and when the first period ended, the broadcasters were shown over the screens, talking about the game's stars so far. But then they started to talk about prominent people in attendance tonight. Clearly the Lemieuxs were here, as Mario had done the ceremonial puck drop. But there they were, shown on the screen in their suite – and then the camera shifted.

"And here tonight is Sidney Crosby's family – his parents Troy and Trina, and his younger sister Taylor. What a family event!" the announcer said, as the screen showed the faces of Sidney's parents and sibling. My heart started to race a little, completely caught off guard.

_Maybe I should have called first._


	16. Sixteen

**A/N: Thanks for reviewing, y'all are the best! xoxo.**

* * *

The game ended in a 3-1 victory over the Flyers, but as the game neared its completion, I started to really panic. I didn't think this through very well, which I hadn't realized until I saw Sid's family on the screen high above the ice. I should've thought of it though. I was mentally hitting myself for not realizing sooner that the family of Pittsburgh's captain would be at the season home opener, cheering on their golden son. I felt out of place and selfish.

I was unsure of what my next move would be after the game, but I figured I shouldn't wait around for him since he would probably want to spend time with his family. I pulled out my phone and typed out a text, rereading it over and over just to make sure I was doing the right thing.

_10:18 PM_

_- Congrats on your win, captain :) So I wanted to surprise you tonight, but I didn't realize your family was here and I don't want to be awkward or intrusive. I'm staying at the Fairmont downtown, and I have more to tell you but I'll be in Pittsburgh for a while so no rush. I love you! _

I headed for my car in the parking deck, and drove back down Fifth Ave to the hotel in the nightmarish game traffic. I got back and sat on the sofa and flipped the TV on to watch the hockey highlights, slightly curious to see how the Bruins had done in their first game of the season as well. They weren't as lucky as the Penguins, losing 5-2 to Tampa Bay. A weird feeling came over me as they showed Tyler frustratingly attempting to make multiple shots on goal, but none of them went in. He was distracted and it was obvious, but I changed the channel before I could let it get to me any more. I left Boston for a reason and I shouldn't torture myself with it here.

A knock on the door startled me, but I got up to answer it, curious to see who would be knocking on my door close to midnight. I took a quick glance through the peephole and immediately opened the door to Sid standing in the hallway in his crisp postgame suit. He came in and I threw my arms around his neck, shocked and relieved to see him here. He kissed me sweetly before he released me, and took off his suit jacket.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, thinking of where he could've possibly told his family he was going. I was all smiles though.

"I'm here to see you, silly." He sat down on the sofa and I sat next to him, curling up to his thick torso.

"Yeah but isn't your family here? I thought you'd want to spend time with them."

"Yeah, they headed back to my place. They had a long day travelling." He looked tired too, but smelled impossibly good for just having played a professional hockey game. It was a little distracting as I took in his words. "You should've waited after the game, they want to meet you."

I was a little shocked. The Crosbys knew about me?

"Oh, you've told them about us?" I was just thrown.

"Of course, I mean you are my girlfriend and everything." He smiled and I placed my hand in his, squeezing it.

"I want to meet them too. I just didn't know if they knew about me. I didn't want there to be any surprises…I don't want to overwhelm anyone."

"Overwhelm anyone?" Sid was being sarcastic now, laughing a little after clearly having seen all of my bags beside the bed.

"Yeah I need to talk to you about that…" Both of our attention was diverted to my belongings, and the cats passed out at the foot of the king sized bed.

"You staying?" He asked, a hopeful tint in his voice.

"Yeah, if you're okay with that. I'm going back to school and I'm banking on getting into UPitt I guess so I figured I should just move here anyway. Dad got me a temporary job broadcasting for ROOT until I start classes up."

"Well you do have a pretty face," he joked, kissing my nose. "But yeah, that sounds like a good plan. If it's what's going to make you happy then it's perfect."

"I think I'll be more than happy here. I don't know, Boston and I really aren't working right now. Plus now you get to see me whenever you want."

Sid smiled and pulled me tightly against him. "I told my parents you were here to surprise me after I saw you during warm ups. They want to go out for dinner tomorrow if you're up for it. I have practice but we can figure out a plan tomorrow."

"Yeah that sounds good, I want to meet them. I'll probably spend most of the day getting settled and I'll start house hunting so I'm flexible."

"Okay, we'll work it out."

Sid couldn't stay long, and I understood that he needed to be home when his family woke up tomorrow. It would've just been rude if he stayed at my place. But we relaxed a little while before he left, watching some TV. I spent the time until I fell asleep wondering what his family would be like. I'm sure they were more than normal, and if Sid was anything like them then I would probably be very fond of them too. There was a little anxiety there about meeting his parents, not sure exactly what they knew about me or what they had heard, but I would put forth my best impression. And if Sid had spent time with my parents, then it was only fair that it be reciprocated. It had to happen eventually.

* * *

I woke up early and began the process of going through which stuff I would unpack now and which things I would leave packed until I found an apartment. Once I was through with that, I decided to skip the procrastination and complete my UPitt application, submitting it a week early, which gave my references time to submit my letters of recommendation. After that, I began researching the area for places to live, figuring I would want to stay in the city for convenience sake. My search brought me to a place called River Vue, which was right down the road from where I was now on Liberty Ave. I contacted their office and planned to take a tour Friday, thinking I would just see how that place worked out before I started contacting other places. They were luxury apartments but they seemed manageable in size. Looking at these high rises made me a little homesick for my brownstone, but I wasn't completely moved out of there yet.

Surprisingly those things took up most of my day into the afternoon. Around 3, I received a call from Sid.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked, answering the phone.

"I'm just getting out of practice, do you still want to have dinner with my family tonight?"

"Definitely, what were you guys thinking?"

"Ha, well… I don't know if you're going to be up for this, but it was Canadian Thanksgiving the other day and my dad has already started making a turducken."

"A tur-what?"

"Uh, it's Canadian. It's a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey. My family is cooking dinner at my house because they felt bad they weren't here over the weekend. Is that okay?" He sounded a little nervous, like their Canadian mutant bird creation would scare me away…but it wasn't a huge deal at all.

"Yeah of course. What time should I be there?"

"Is 7 okay?"

"7 sounds good. What's your address so I can put it in my GPS? I don't want to get too lost," I laughed a little, knowing I wouldn't be able to navigate the way to his place in Sewickley from memory.

"I'll text it to you so you don't get it wrong. I'll see you in a little while."

"Okay cool, love you."

"Love you too," he responded, and I hung up.

* * *

I hadn't showered yet so I got myself motivated to get in but waited a little bit to get completely ready so I could call my dad.

"George Williams speaking," his mindless greeting sounding through the phone.

"Dad, it's me," I said, knowing he hadn't checked the caller ID.

"Hey sweetie," he answered, his familiar and comforting voice distant sounding. I knew he was probably simultaneously on his computer and his iPad while talking to me but I had gotten used to it by now.

"How are you?" I asked, making a little small talk.

"I'm just fine, working on a couple projects. You made it to Pittsburgh okay?"

"Yeah I made it just fine. I'm meeting Sidney's family tonight," I told him, hoping to express my slight anxiety with him. I didn't really have anyone else to talk about it with at this point, and I knew my mom was still mad at me.

"Oh that's wonderful," he said, sounding like he was finally listening. "I'm sure they'll be great. What are your plans?"

I was relieved he was paying attention to me at this point. "I'm going to his place, he lives about 20 minutes outside the city. His family is cooking a Canadian Thanksgiving dinner I guess since they weren't in town for the actual holiday."

"You'll have a great time, don't be too worried about it." He must've heard my reservations about the event in my voice.

"Yeah, it'll be good. He's already met you guys except for Allison so it couldn't be too bad."

"Hopefully that will change soon, I think Al is considering moving back home."

"Oh really?" I was a little surprised. The last thing I knew she was out being a fashion designer in LA and was too good to talk to her little sister anymore. I was actually shocked that she was coming home. She had totally forgotten about her family.

"I think she found a better job opportunity here," my dad explained, and I sort of rolled my eyes a little but I guess it would be good that she would move back to the east coast. I knew my parents missed her and even though we would go and visit her every now and then, it was never an easy trip. "Her lease is up in November so she is planning on coming home over the holiday."

"Oh, well that's good I guess. How's mom handling all of this? I'm sure she's still a mess."

"She'll calm down eventually, she's just mad that I'm encouraging you."

"Yeah…I don't know, she'll have to get over it eventually. I'm really not that far away, and I have to come back soon to get the rest of my stuff once I'm ready to make the move."

"I know she will. It will help to have Allison home now, she's terrified of an empty nest."

I knew he was right and it hurt a little to know that my mother was so upset about my move to Pittsburgh but I had been through a lot in the last year and really needed to do this for myself. She would understand eventually but until Allison got home she would probably be a mess.

"Alright well I'll let you go, I just wanted to check in with you. I'll talk to you later," I said, wrapping up our conversation. I needed to put myself together and I knew it would take longer than usual to pick an outfit and decide what to with my hair.

"Okay have a good night, let me know how it goes."

"I will, love you."

* * *

After about four outfit changes I decided to wear a medium-wash pair of tight jeans rolled at my ankles, a cream-colored cable knit sweater and some dark grey flats. The sweater hung well on my small frame and I put a navy down vest over it before I left the hotel. It was a pretty simple look but I had straightened my hair and done up my face really well so I didn't look boring at all. I put Sid's address into the GPS in the Audi and was on my way by 6:00. I didn't know what traffic would be like and I figured it would be best to be on the early side.

I got to Sewickley at around 6:40 with no navigational trouble, just a little congestion leaving the city, so I stopped off at a store on the way to grab a couple bottles of wine. Mostly to kill time, and because it could be a peace offering to get things off on the right foot if they had already heard less than impressionable things about me.

I pulled up to Sid's driveway right before 7, and stared hopelessly at the keypad at the gate. I had seen him do it before but there was no way I'd be able to get in, so I called him.

"I'm locked out," I whined playfully, and he laughed a little before buzzing the gate open from the control panel in his entryway.

I parked my Audi next to Sid's Lexus, which really should be kept in the garage, and gathered up the courage to make my way to the front door. I stood there nervously for a second, bottles of wine in hand, before knocking on the door. I probably shouldn't have bothered knocking but I had no idea what to do in this situation. A moment later, Sidney greeted me at the door.

"Why did you knock?" he asked, poking fun at me, a sweet grin slapped across his face. He could tell I was nervous, and thought that making me feel more awkward about it would bridge the gap.

"I don't know, I felt like I should or something." I didn't really know why I knocked, but I handed Sid the bottles of wine and he kissed me before closing the door behind me.

The house smelled amazing, and it was a comforting feeling, setting me at ease a little bit.

"Sidney, is Charlotte here?" I heard who I assumed was Sid's mom call from the kitchen.

"Yeah," he answered, and we walked towards the epicenter of the aromas emanating through the house.

As we rounded the corner into the kitchen, I took in the sights of an obviously happy family. I waved awkwardly as we neared them but Sid's mother immediately headed towards me with open arms, hugging me before introducing herself.

"Oh it's so good to finally meet you! I'm Trina," she said after releasing me. "I've heard so much about you."

"Yeah, likewise," I had a chance to say before Sid's dad shook my hand. He introduced himself as Troy and Sid's sister quietly introduced herself as Taylor. Troy was taller and had darker features than Sid, who I noticed looked a lot more like his mother, but Taylor was about my size with dirtier blonde hair than me. She looked Braedon's age, maybe younger, and much classier than Tyler's sister, which was a huge relief. She was just sweet looking.

"I hope you're hungry, have you ever had turducken?" Trina asked as she started to bring the serving dishes of food to the already-set dinner table.

"No I haven't, but Sidney was trying to explain to me what exactly it is."

"It's delicious, you'll love it. It's the only thing I let Troy cook," she laughed, walking over to her husband to oversee the carving or…dismemberment of the creation.

Sid grabbed a handful of the herb-roasted almonds I assumed Trina had made that were set out on the island and snacked while his family put together the final touches of their feast. He threw one at me playfully but I caught it before it hit the floor and popped it in my mouth. Taylor sat on a stool at the island and smiled at us, watching our little interaction.

We were called to the table a few moments later and I took a seat next to Sid while his parents sat at either head of the table, and Taylor across from us. The food was all laid out family style, and I couldn't wait to get into it. But first we filled our glasses with wine and Mr. Crosby wanted to make a small toast.

"I just wanted to say that I'm so glad we could all be together, even if it's a little late for Thanksgiving. But here's to a prosperous season and to finally meeting a girlfriend of Sid's," he joked, smiling at me, and I had to admit I laughed a little.

"Dad…." Sid had a little whine in his voice, signaling that he was clearly annoyed.

"What, the last time you even talked about a girl to was that one at Shattuck and god knows how that went." Troy was definitely one to mess with Sid a little, and it was relieving to know that they weren't such a stern family at all, as I had imagined them to be.

"Yeah I get it," Sid replied, and Taylor cracked up, the largest burst of expression I had seen from her yet.

"Sweetie, your father is just trying to say that we're happy for you." Trina tried to rescue Troy from the hole that he had dug, and make Sid feel less uncomfortable. His cheeks, that had turned pink with embarrassment, began to return to their normal tone.

"Anyways, I'm starving. Cheers," Troy finished his little speech and we clinked glasses before digging in.

Dinner talk started with me before they moved on to more serious talk with Sid about the season. I explained to them how I had grown up in Boston, played hockey for BU, and studied Health Sciences with a focus on medicine, and that I was going back to school. They commended me on that, understanding why I made the move not necessarily just to be with Sid, but to hopefully attend one of the best medical schools in the country. Troy asked about my dad and what he did, having had a little background on him from Sid, but I clarified, telling him that he was the CEO of TD Bank and on the Board of Governors representing the Bruins. They asked about my siblings and I tried to make Braedon and Allison sound as pleasant as possible but we had our differences sometimes, as they could understand.

Our conversations went surprisingly well. It felt natural and they were really pleasant people to talk to, I don't know why I was so nervous about meeting them. I just figured they'd be rigid, since Sid is quite the perfectionist. But their normality shocked me and was really refreshing. They started talking to Sid about this season and what some of his goals were, but the main point they kept returning to was staying healthy. At first I didn't really pick up on it, but towards the end of their conversation I realized that they were talking about his concussion and his recovery. They never flat out said the word 'concussion' or anything that he experienced in that time, but they just kept on him about how all they wanted for him was to have a 'healthy season.'

Once it was time for dessert, conversation got more lighthearted. Sid asked about things at home and they talked about Nova Scotia for a while, and then the topics started to vary and drift and things were starting to wind down.

At around 10:30, I thought it would be best to start to get on the road back to Pittsburgh. His parents and his sister said goodbye to me, all hugging me and talking about how it was so nice to meet me. They were going to the Penguins home game tomorrow before they left, the last game before the Pens went on a 5-day road trip, and invited me to sit with them in the suite with the Lemieuxs. I of course accepted their invitation and Sid walked me out to my car as the rest of the Crosbys headed off to bed.

"Feel better now?" Sid asked, as I leaned against the driver's side of the Audi.

"Yeah, a lot better," I said, relieved that the 'meeting the parents' experience had been conquered and was successful, as far as I thought.

"You know they already love you, right?" He placed his hands on my hips and my arms found their way hooked around his neck.

"I hope they do. I mean, I am the only real girlfriend they've met so…"

His face began to redden again, still horrified that his parents had brought that up at dinner.

"I told you there have been other girls, but I never said other girlfriends." His admission was a little surprising.

"Well I guess I'm just the prettiest then," I laughed as I flipped my hair, and he caught me in a kiss, shutting me up and pinning me back against the cool exterior of my car. I kissed him back, but his next one was more eager, and soon his hips were pressed against mine with a little more force than I was expecting.

"You're definitely the prettiest," he agreed, and his soft lips drifted down to my neck. I pushed him back a little, cupping his face in my hands.

"Your parents are probably watching us."

His gaze shifted upwards towards the windows of the front of the house, and he smiled hopelessly, lifting his arm in the air and giving someone a thumbs up. I turned my head quickly enough to see his dad in the window of one of the upstairs bedrooms reciprocating the gesture, and couldn't help but crack up – feeling a little embarrassed but more so for Sidney.

He kept his eye on the window until he was sure his dad had gone to bed before he kissed me again, his tongue probing my lips for a split second before I let it in, meeting it with mine. The way he moved his lips, and how he grazed my bottom one with his teeth every so often, was signaling me that maybe he wasn't ready for me to go quite yet. And it didn't take much longer for the stiffness in the crotch of his jeans to be evident against my thigh. Reaching behind me, he opened the rear driver's side door and signaled for me to get in.

_Oh._

I could feel my heart rate escalating as I slid across the leather backseat, making room for Sid to get in. After he shut the door behind him, he pulled me close to him and I climbed in his lap, straddling his hips. His lips were hard on mine, eager but passionate. He unzipped my vest and I threw it in the front seat before he started pulling my sweater up and over my head. I started to unbutton the shirt he was wearing, and as I got more frustrated after struggling with two of them, I just tugged it off, along with the white undershirt he was wearing. His large hands ran up and down my sides, causing goosebumps to erupt across my skin. Maybe it was the lack of heat in the car, but I shivered, and he pulled me even closer to him, engulfing me in his broad arms.

The pants would prove to be a struggle though. The cramped back seat only made removing our pants that much more difficult, but somehow we both managed to take our remaining clothes off without whacking each other too many times. I climbed back in his lap, the warmth of his arousal pressing against my inner thighs. Our lips met and parted in synchronized movements, tongues exploring and playing gently.

"Shit, I don't have a condom on me," Sid muttered as he pulled his lips from mine.

"Uh…I mean, I'm on birth control. It's okay unless there's something you're not telling me…" I joked a little, knowing full well he didn't have an STD or anything. He raised his eyebrows of me, letting me know that he thought I was completely full of it tonight, and I kissed his smile.

"Okay, I just didn't know if it was alright." He was getting at the bigger picture here and I caught on, knowing that I was precautious about that sort of thing.

"Just don't get it all over the leather," I warned, really not wanting the interior of my car to be ruined, and he laughed, shutting me up with his kiss.

* * *

We christened the backseat of my Audi and I drove back to the city on a complete high. I was in love with Sidney Crosby. I was in love with him, and he was in love with me, and things were really looking up. What could possibly go wrong right now?


	17. Seventeen

**A/N: Skipping ahead a little in the story to get things going. I wrote a pretty in depth first meeting with Charlotte and Sid's family so I hope skipping through the rest of their stay isn't disappointing. Things get a little dramatic here, but thanks again for reading! I'm hoping to hear a lot of opinions after this chapter, as my views for how I want this story to play out is ever changing so please let me know what you think! Enjoy :)**

* * *

Sidney's family was actually wonderful to me. We went to the game the night after we met where they introduced me to the Lemieuxs, who were equally as nice to me and we celebrated the Penguins' victory over Tampa Bay with a late dinner after the game. I think they were excited that Sid had actually found someone that he felt comfortable bringing around his family, and his extended Pittsburgh family. It was nice to be exposed to Sidney's world in Pittsburgh, especially with his parents and sister in town. They departed the next morning, as did Sidney, and I was left to fend for myself for a few days.

After viewing the apartment Friday, I decided that I wouldn't really need to look anywhere else. It was more of a penthouse than an apartment, and I was more than okay with that. Two bedrooms, three bathrooms, a spacious living area, a completely modern kitchen and a study was more than I needed but I liked the open feel of it compared to my brownstone back in Boston. I called my dad before signing the lease, knowing that he was financially responsible for it, but he gave me the go ahead and I would be able to start moving my things in after the first of November. Perfect.

* * *

The next week and a half after that seemed to fly by. Sidney was busy with practice and games, and after deciding not to work for ROOT, I was able to go to all of the home games and cheer him on. I stayed at his place most nights when he was home, leaving with him after the games to Sewickley instead of staying at the hotel in the city.

But things became a little tense when it came time to talk about my big move. I had looked at the schedule to plan a good time to go home and get the rest of my things. I thought maybe the Friday after Halloween would work, but when I looked at Sidney's game schedule, I knew there would be a problem. The Penguins played the Bruins in Boston Saturday November 3rd, and had a day off from games on either side. I wish I had realized that sooner, because I was hoping Sidney could help me move but he would be in Boston anyway with the team and most likely unable to help, and I got an uneasy feeling about what could possibly happen when I got back home. Regardless of what could happen, I made the plan to go home the 2nd and move to Pittsburgh the 4th, just so Sid and I could mostly be in the same place at the same time.

* * *

I had planned to drive but figured it would be much faster to fly and I could just drive Braedon's truck back with my belongings. He didn't need it while he was at school and either way my family would see me on Thanksgiving so he would only be a few weeks with out it. I stayed with my parents while I packed up the brownstone. The furniture was going to stay because Allison would be moving in there when I was moved out, but we left the locked room upstairs untouched without actually having to say anything about it. I thought Allison wouldn't be coming home until the holiday but it turned out she was coming home tomorrow. She shipped most of her things home, and her boxes began piling up in my parents' basement.

But once the remainder of my things was packed up in my own boxes, I headed to the North End to meet Sidney for a late dinner around 9. He had flown in with the team this morning and had spent the day with them but he was able to escape for a little while to meet at my favorite Italian restaurant.

"Do you want to come back to my hotel for a little bit?" he asked after he handed the waiter his Mastercard when we finished our meal. I hate that he just paid the bill without asking me, but I knew he was always just trying to be chivalrous.

"Yeah, where are you guys staying again?" I asked, pretty confident that he hadn't told me yet.

"Boston Harbor, the view is awesome."

"It's gorgeous," I agreed. "Let's go."

We left the restaurant hand in hand, and walked the few blocks to the hotel that was just around the corner. I was jealous the team was staying at the grand hotel on the wharf, having never stayed there myself. But the architecture of the old building was something to marvel at and it had its own romantic charm that lured me to it before Sidney ever did.

We rode the elevator to Sid's 3rd floor room. The guys usually shared rooms but I think Sid had asked for his own, knowing I would be in Boston as well. We took off our coats and I collapsed on the luxurious bed, exhausted from a day of traveling, and Sid laid down next to me. He took me in his left arm and pulled me to his chest, pressing his lips against my forehead.

"You have to promise me you're going to be careful tomorrow," I started, my mind working in overdrive as Sid quietly laid there.

"I'm always careful," he said, trying to reassure me. But he knew that he would have to watch his back during the game against the Bruins tomorrow night, and I could tell by his facial expression that he was just saying it to make me feel better.

"I'm serious. Tyler's not one to drop the gloves but I need you to watch your back. He takes his personal problems out on the ice and that's something he hasn't learned to control yet." I thought back to the night Tyler blew the game against the Capitals when I told him the big news and my stomach twisted, thinking that he would try to hurt Sid. He had done it before off the ice, and I wouldn't be surprised if he would try it during the game. I'm sure he knew that I was moving to Pittsburgh, and there would be no other reason for it than the captain of the team he's playing tomorrow.

"I promise I'll be okay. You don't have to worry about me, Charlotte."

* * *

Game day snuck up on us. After spending the night with Sidney, I woke up around 6 when he did to head to the airport and get Allison, then back to Wellesley before coming back into the city. Sid had morning skate and had to get his team geared up for the game, and I needed to attempt to put myself together.

I hadn't seen my sister since the Fourth of July when we took our summer trip to Maine, and I was honestly a little anxious about seeing her. We used to have a great relationship but something about her changed when she left for the West Coast, and now we barely talk. It was kind of a bummer that she was moving back home while I was moving away from the city, but atleast she could meet Sidney this weekend and I could show him off a little before I made my move to Pittsburgh.

I pulled up to the arrival gate and texted her that I was waiting and she came right out, her three suitcases in tow on a trolley. _Of course_. I didn't really know how everything would fit in my Audi but I got out and walked around the car, hugging my sister who looked way to perfect for just having taken a red eye across the country. Her hair was a honey brown, dyed of course, and even though she was shorter and smaller in stature than my 5'3" frame, she towered over me in 5 inch heels. She had definitely turned into a California brat. But we somehow crammed everything into my car and were on our way back to the suburbs.

"How was your flight?" I asked, using typical protocol for being the airport chauffeur.

"It was alright, I'm exhausted. How have you been?" She asked, her sunglasses shielding her heavily made up eyes.

"I've been okay. Things have been crazy with my move and everything," I started, knowing my family had already filled her in on what was going on.

"Are you actually dating Sidney Crosby?" she asked, surprised that I had possibly moved on from Tyler. I knew it was only a matter of time before she brought this up.

"Ha, yeah. You'll get to meet him today, he's great." I was hoping they'd get to meet after the game. Sid said he was unsure of the team's plans after, but that he could probably escape for a little bit and probably get dinner with us later if he was unable to get away from his responsibilities this afternoon.

"How's Tyler handling it?"

There it was.

"Um, I don't really know. Probably not well, but I'm not sure." I tightened my grip on the steering wheel subconsciously; involuntarily.

"He's a child, try not to worry about him. If Sidney makes you this happy then you shouldn't have to worry about Tyler."

She was right. I needed to try to clear my mind of the game ahead of us in just a few hours. If the Tyler I knew was still there somewhere, then he would be fine and not take out his anger on the ice. But he was unpredictable and immature and I just wasn't sure. I tried to put it out of my mind for the rest of the drive but it still lingered.

We got back to my parents' house and my dad helped us lug in all of Allison's belongings. While she dealt with her stuff, I showered and got ready for the game, hoping the warm water would calm me down. And it did, for a while.

We headed back into the city around 11 to pick up Braedon on our way through and get to the Garden early. My brother, clearly hung over, was not interested whatsoever in what my dad had to say about the game today, and he kept his hood up and forehead pressed against the window. My sister and I rolled our eyes, smiling at each other, remembering what it was like to be freshmen. He had a game later tonight and would hopefully be recharged by then but it probably wouldn't be pretty.

When we got to the Garden, there were already people flocking the area for the 1o'clock game. Instead of going our usual suite route, we decided to all claim some glass seats. Suite games usually turned into business talk for my dad and he wanted a good time with his family which I could appreciate, but it meant there would be no separation from the action of the game. We parked in the gated side-lot and walked through the back winding hallways and corridors to my dad's office where he checked on a few things and met up with a couple of people before we went to our seats as doors opened for the rest of the crowd. I figured it wasn't too early for a beer, hoping it would take the edge off, and Allison got one with me, mostly just clinging to me for the moral support that she could tell I needed from my body language. I was clearly anxious.

* * *

The game had gotten off to a quick start. Both teams had scored three times before the 5-minute mark in the second period, and it was starting to become a physical game as both teams panicked about the possibility of an impending overtime round. Sid and Tyler's lines had been out on the ice together, but the two forwards mostly avoided each other. That was a good sign, I thought.

Until they were in a face-off together.

Crowded around the face-off circle right in front of our seats, the two waited intently for the puck. My heart began to race as I saw Sid's lips moving. Tyler had his back to me, so I couldn't tell if he was talking back to him, but as the puck dropped, so did the gloves. _Fuck._ I shot up instinctively, banging on the glass, yelling at them to knock it off while Sid and Tyler threw repeated blows at each other. Everyone else was banging on the glass, as fans did during a fight, but my dad and Braedon, seated beside me, got up and tried to pull me back into my seat, saying that they would sort it out on the ice and that was that. But the helmets came off and blood dripped to the ice. Teammates from both sides attempted to get in on it – to separate the two, and the refs were equally concerned. But Tyler suddenly was in an advantageous position, having a good grip, and threw Sid down on the ice. _Hard_.

I screamed at Tyler, tears welling up in my eyes, as the rest of the Garden cheered for him. Sid was down. The refs started to grab at Tyler, attempting to pull him off the ice, but he fought back, and then his eyes met mine, giving me a look, signaling that he knew I was there the entire time. And he skated over to the glass, the only barrier between us. A thick stream of blood streamed from his nose,

"Fuck you!" he screamed, throwing his arms against the glass, scaring me back from it as my tears had begun to stream uncontrollably down my face. The refs grabbed his arms and forced him off the ice, ejecting him from the game. Sid still wasn't getting up from what I could see, but his teammates had created a wall around him and I couldn't tell what was going on.

My family had no idea what to do. Tyler was never one to fight on the ice but he was strong, and he knew it. My dad started toward the aisle, saying he was going to go see if he could talk to Tyler. I told him that it wasn't a good idea, but he wasn't going to listen to me and took off anyway with Braedon trailing behind him. I stood back against the glass, as the roar of the crowd drowned out my sobs, and waited for Sid to get up.

_Come on, come on get up._

"Why isn't he getting up?" I cried to my mom and sister. The people around us had started to realize what was going on, and became quiet. Not just anybody would be this upset about Tyler Seguin and Sidney Crosby fighting.

"He'll be okay, Tyler just hit him too hard," my mom said, placing a hand on my back as she stood next to me, trying to comfort me.

"No you don't understand. He has to get up!" I started hitting the glass with my palm, hoping that maybe Sid knew it was me out of the 17,000 other people in attendance that was encouraging him to get up.

"Let's go to the bathroom, you really don't need to watch this." Allison's suggestion was fair but it wasn't going to happen.

There was more movement on the ice as people started to move back from Sid. He was moving, but he was still on the ice, propping himself up on his elbows. The blood pool on the ice was disgusting, and it had been smeared by the skaters around them. Dupuis and Malkin bent over, trying to talk to him, talking him through the pain and working to get him up off the ice. And finally, he got up, the crowd reigniting, and skated off, hunched over while his teammates skated beside him.

I knew this was bad. I knew he had gotten hit hard last season during a Bruins game that had further impeded his return after his Winter Classic concussion, and this was the first full season that he had hoped to play symptom free. He didn't talk about it much but it was something that was a sensitive topic, just like one that I had. But the knowledge was there and the potential for him to be reinjured was too great. They ushered Sid back to the locker room and he would be out of the rest of the game.

I started to panic, thinking that I would kill Tyler if I had the chance. I broke away from my mom and started to head back to the locker rooms to find my dad and my brother, to see what was going on. They probably wouldn't let me near the Penguins locker room, but I could at least get to where the rest of my family would be. I tried to wipe at my eyes as I walked, practically floating on adrenaline, back down to the practically forbidden corridors. One of the security guards at the entrance door to the hallway, John, had known me since I was in elementary school, and had a pretty grim look on his face.

"You shouldn't go down there," he said, and I could hear Tyler's muffled yelling all the way down the hallway.

"Are Dad and Braedon there?" I asked, not really caring what he said and intended to go down there anyway.

"Yeah they're in there with him."

I took a deep breath and started to walk down the hall. I could see security people outside the entrance to the locker room, making sure no one got through. I'm sure someone had warned them that I would probably chase after Tyler, and it was probably the smartest thing to keep me away from him. The doors were open and they wouldn't let me near it, but I saw my dad in the depths of the room, looking like he was trying to talk some sense into Tyler who wasn't in my plane of sight.

"Dad!" I yelled, and he turned around, looking through the barrier of people between us. He shook his head, eyes wide, a quick gesture telling me that I needed to get the hell out of the area.

"Is that her?" Tyler growled, his voice making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It sounded like he had finally snapped. I've only seen Tyler like this two other times but I knew that once he snapped, it would take a very long time for him to settle back down.

"IS THAT HER?!" he repeated, more intensely and angrily.

"Sit the fuck down," I heard my dad yell back to him, and I could see him try to push him back. Tyler was much stronger than my dad, but he knew better than to challenge him. I could feel the tears start back up again and I quickly turned away from the locker room, avoiding actually seeing Tyler and finding a place to sit on the floor in the hallway where I could cry into my knees. They obviously would have let my dad in to handle Tyler. He was the only voice of reason Tyler would listen to, after living with us and having my dad as his own father figure in Boston. But it was a special circumstance and once Tyler got mad, he got even angrier that he was causing such a scene. It just kept building.

Braedon emerged from the room, his eyes wide like my dad's had been and took a seat next to me, putting his arm around me and pulling me close to him.

"What the hell even happened?" I asked, still crying.

"I don't know. I have no idea what they said or who started it. But Charlie… it's bad."

"I never did anything to him, I don't understand why he just can't let me be happy."

"Charlie, you broke his heart. And he's pissed. Listen to him." Braedon said, his voice suddenly colder. I looked back in the direction of the locker room, and the sounds of Tyler and my dad yelling with a couple other voices were impossible to ignore.

"I need to see Sid. I need to make sure he's okay. I just can't believe Tyler would do that," which I realized was a lie once I said it. I had been waiting for it to happen, honestly.

"They're not gonna let you near him. You can try, but it's not going to happen. You're lucky security let you this far down here, they all know you're the cause of it."

I figured I would have to try. I heard the buzzer sound through the building as the second period came to a close, and decided I needed to move fast. The same hallway connected the locker rooms but the Penguins would be on the opposite side of the Garden. So I left my brother as the Bruins made their way off the ice and rounded the corner.

The team had mostly made their way back in the locker room but I saw Geno and Letang standing out in the hallway, waiting for the rest of their teammates to finish filing into the room. I was hoping one of them would be able to tell me what was going on, but I was nervous to approach them. They were far enough away and had their backs to me so they couldn't see me yet, but it was worth a shot, and I had to find out one way or another how Sid was doing. Geno had been there on the ice with him. He would atleast know something. Once the team had almost all trailed in, I started to walk towards them. Letang saw me before Evgeni did, and the look on Kris Letang's face was a little chilling. I had met him one night after a game in Pittsburgh when the entire team went out together to celebrate a win, and he had been nothing but cordial to me. But his stare prompted Geno to turn his attention in my direction, and Letang stormed off into the locker room.

I knew it was bad then. Geno took a few steps towards me, his stride making much further distance than mine.

"Is he okay?" I asked, panicked but trying to control my emotions in front of the man towering over me.

But he didn't say anything. His jaw tightened and his eyes shifted towards his skates and he shook his head once before leaving me completely broken in the hallway.


	18. Eighteen

**A/N: Sorry for the wait for this one, it was hard to write and I hit quite the block with my ideas. But since you guys are all so perfect and patient and write the best reviews, I might've thrown in a spoiler at the end of the chapter. If you don't want to see the little spoiler then just skip it! Thank you all so much, let me know what you think!**

* * *

Braedon's truck was packed with the rest of my belongings and I was on the road by 5 am Sunday morning, starting the miserable solo drive back to Pittsburgh. The past 18 hours had been a mess but there was nothing I could really do but keep driving, leaving Boston behind me for as long as possible. My dad accompanied me on my trip, worried that I wouldn't be able to handle the drive or the move by myself, and I couldn't really argue with him. I was in no frame of mind to do this on my own and I needed help getting my things into the new apartment.

We made it to Pittsburgh around 4:30, which was enough time to atleast get the boxes and plastic totes into the apartment before it got too late, and my dad left with the truck after dropping me off with my belongings. It was bittersweet watching him leave. He assured me that he could stay but I thought it would make things harder than they needed to be. I would be busy unpacking and getting settled and wouldn't be able to do it properly if he was there.

Around 8:30, my phone started ringing and my heart jumped, not expecting it to be Sidney. I had just sat down on the couch after setting my TV up, and his caller ID photo popped up on my screen.

"Hello?" I asked eagerly into the phone after picking it up. I hadn't talked to him since yesterday morning before the game, and I didn't know what to expect from him. I literally had no idea what was going on, and my texts to him had gone unanswered.

"Hey," he said, his voice tired sounding.

"Are you okay?" I asked, not really knowing what else to say. My father had told me as the 'third party' involved that I just needed to go on with the original moving plan and that Sid would call me when he could.

"Can I come over?" he inquired, not answering my question.

"Yeah, you're back?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'm at my new place, it's kind of a disaster…" I stared at the boxes and things cluttering the area that surrounded me but knew Sid wouldn't really care.

"Alright."

"See you soon?" His curt answers were worrying me.

"Yeah. I love you, Charlotte."

"I love you too."

I hung up the phone and it wasn't long until Sid arrived. I buzzed him into the apartment and when he knocked on the door I shot up out of my seat and took a few great strides towards the entrance. I opened the door and immediately felt myself start to cry. I took a good look at him before I threw my arms around him, and he squeezed me tight, shifting us a few steps over the threshold so he could close the door behind him.

"I'm so sorry," I sobbed quietly into his black warmup jacket.

He pulled away a little and I could examine the external damage done to his face more closely. He had stitches below his left eye and his bottom lip was swollen. A deep bruise was starting to develop on his left cheekbone beneath the stitches and across his nose. I put my right hand up to his face gently, trying to see if Tyler had done anything else, but I couldn't tell.

"Don't be sorry," he said, and started unzipping his coat.

"What even happened?" I asked, still completely in the dark about what actually went down before the gloves dropped. "I just can't believe Tyler did that to you…he knows what it would mean if you got hit that hard again…"

"Can we go lay down?" He avoided my question again.

"Uh, yeah," I said and he followed me into the bedroom I had started to set up as mine. I managed to at least make the bed, and he pulled his coat off and set it on the chair in the corner of the room before laying down. I laid down beside him, and his left arm reached out, pulling me flush against his side.

"He didn't start it," he finally said after a minute of silence. I'm sure he could feel the intensity of my heartbeat at this point but I was just so overwhelmed to begin with.

"What?" I asked, shocked at the words that had just escaped his busted lips.

"I said something I shouldn't have…I egged him on. I didn't think he'd actually come at me like that though." He had almost laughed when he said the last word.

"What did you say to him?" I pressed, knowing it was about me and it must've been pretty bad for Tyler to get so worked up about it. Tyler had a temper but it was difficult to get him to completely explode like that, surprisingly.

"It doesn't matter, it's not important now." He was evasive and I was starting to suddenly get frustrated with him. Here I was thinking that Tyler had been so immature that he couldn't handle himself on the same ice as Sidney but this…I wasn't expecting it. I didn't think Sidney would actually try to fight with Tyler. I'm sure he knew very well that it would make him upset, and that it would make me even more so.

"It does matter," I spat at him, wiggling out of his grip. "It was about me so you should tell me," I said, my tone quickly taking on the defensive.

"I just made him realize what I have and he doesn't. That's all." His voice was distant and eerily harsh, a tone I hadn't heard from him before. And it scared the hell out of me.

I didn't say anything to that, and I was up and out of the room before Sid had time to figure out I was really upset. I don't know why I left the room though, I should've stood up for myself and told him to leave. It was my place after all. But I didn't have the guts to say such a thing and I really didn't want him to leave. I was just so completely disappointed. I was frustrated that I wasn't able to see him in Boston basically at all or introduce him to my sister, and to find out that it was all because he had decided to pick a fight with Tyler about me on the face off was beyond upsetting. I had expected Tyler to start it, which made me feel guilty knowing that this sort of behavior was starting to replace my fond memories of him. And Sid… the golden boy. I didn't think he could hurt a fly, let alone be the one to start a fight. I hadn't even seen all the damage done to Tyler, and made a point to check in with my dad over the next couple days to see how he was, injury wise.

The picture painted in my mind of Sidney and Pittsburgh and our life together was suddenly not as beautiful as I had hoped. My anxiety had started to cloud this perfect transition I had envisioned but who was I kidding?

I got out into the main hallway of my apartment and honestly didn't know what to do, so I just kept walking to the living room and found my place back on the couch. The cats found me and quickly took to my emotions, planting themselves on my lap. It didn't take Sid long to follow me, and when he first approached me he had quite the confused expression plastered on his broken face, until he saw my makeup running down my cheeks.

"Charlie…I.." he started.

"Don't call me that," I snapped back, quickly. It was a little harsh but he had never called me Charlie before. It was something only my family called me, and Tyler and my now ex best friends had picked up on it. But I didn't feel like listening to him try to dig himself out of the hole he knew he was in.

"Okay, I'm sorry…" His eyes found the floor, avoiding my searing gaze. After I didn't respond, he started again. "Look, sometimes guys say things to rile up the other team, we don't mean it."

"Yeah I'm not fucking stupid, I know how the game works." My anger was starting to boil and I knew I would begin to freak out at him, no matter how badly I didn't want to. "I just can't believe you would put everything on the line like that. You knew he would hit you. He's done it before. And you know that if you get hit one more time…"

My tears were flowing at such an alarming rate that I was surprised I was even forming sentences instead of just blubbering. But I calmed myself down a little before I finished. "If you get hit one more time…I don't want to be the reason your career is over."

"Stop crying," he ordered, coldly.

"Why? What was even going through your head? You don't have to remind Tyler that I'm yours. He already knows he lost me. If you had left him alone maybe your team would've won." I got up and walked past him, going back to my bedroom. I couldn't be around him right now.

"Oh, so you're defending Tyler now," he said as I walked by. I stopped in my tracks.

"Well I'm sure as hell not defending you."

That struck a nerve. Sid just turned around and walked out the front door, clearly done with this conversation. I was just dumbstruck. I honestly didn't know how to handle the situation and I probably hadn't dealt with it the way I should've. But I was upset, clearly, and he wasn't really trying to fix it which just made it worse. I just stood there, waiting for the door to open again and for Sid to rush over to me and apologize for being so careless.

But he didn't come back.

* * *

I didn't hear from Sid until the next night. I figured it would be best to leave him alone for the day while we both thought about our first fight. And I'm sure Sid, as the most methodical person I know, was trying to work out some sort of repair plan in his head. But he was really cold last night when he was trying to explain the fight to me. The disconnect was terrifying and the fact that he could just push it aside when he knew I would be so worried was what bothered me.

I had been cooking dinner when a light rap struck my door, startling me out of my concentration. I wiped my hands on a kitchen towel and walked over, shocked to see Sid standing in the hallway through the peephole. The Penguins game was on in my living room, and I was listening to it while I chopped some vegetables. What is he doing here?

I unlocked the door and opened it, taking in the still-battered sight of him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, not accusingly but more for clarification purposes. He was classified as 'injured' now by what I heard the announcers say, but we hadn't even gotten to that part of the conversation yesterday. I thought he would've been at the game anyway.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

I stepped aside and he walked through the entrance hesitantly. He pulled his half-zip sweater over his head and set it down on one of the bar stools at the island. The action stirred the scent of his cologne into the air, and I had to distract myself to keep from giving into it. I checked on what I had cooking in the pan, making sure it wasn't burning.

"You hungry?" I asked, feeling like it was obligatory that I at least fed him.

"Uh yeah, kinda." He took a seat while I stirred the contents of the stove.

It was silent while I finished cooking dinner. I kept my back to him and he typed away on his iPhone, probably answering emails. It was awkward and every now and then I could feel his gaze on me but I tended to the chicken on the grill pan. I felt weirdly self-conscious though, clad in just Nike running shorts and a tank top while he wore nice khakis and a polo button up. I had had a busy day of unpacking and even ventured out to the grocery store to stock up the fridge and didn't really feel like putting make up on or doing anything impressive with my hair, which sat in a top knot on my head.

I started plating the food, the air still thick with the tension between us as I took a seat next to him at the island. We could eat without making eye contact and that was enough. The scraping of our utensils against the plate was almost deafening, and it was enough to make the hair on the back of my neck stand at attention. I couldn't really deal with sitting next to him if he wasn't going to say anything. I was practically screaming at him in my head to apologize to me, but he kept on eating. I finished my food and brought my plate to the sink, finally turning to face him.

"If you're just going to sit there then I think you should go. I'm really tired." I didn't want him to go. At all. But I didn't want him to stay here if he was just going to sit there, looking pathetically beat up and mute.

"No…I came here to apologize, really. I just…I don't know how to do it."

Finally. _Words._

"I just want to know what's going on. Forget about the fight, what's going on with you?" I asked, referring mostly to his injuries – but also to his selfish method of dealing with the situation. I still didn't even know what was going on with him. He wasn't playing tonight, which meant something was bad enough for him to not play.

"Okay, well first of all, I'm sorry. I really am." I leaned against the counter next to the fridge, arms crossed and chewing my bottom lip, while he sat at his place at the island. "And I'm an idiot for saying anything to Tyler, I know. I just… I don't know, something got the best of me and I couldn't help it. I thought if he got 5 in the box then it could give us time to get an advantage…It back fired, I don't know why I thought I could work out a plan like that."

I knew he had blamed the loss on himself at this point, and I couldn't exactly defend his actions. Tyler was taller and ran purely on adrenaline half the time, so I would bet money on Tyler in a fight, honestly. Sid was strong, sturdy. But Sid's perfectionism was no match for Tyler's temper.

"I mean did you even think about me when you said it? I was sitting right there. I thought I watched your career end. I know you don't talk about your injury…but you know I worry every time you step on that ice now, and after yesterday…You're on the injured list. You're not even playing in the game tonight. It's bad, isn't it?"

"It's not bad."

I gave him a look, raising my eyebrows in protest to his statement. How could it not be bad if he was out of the game?

"Yeah, I'm injured, but not bad enough to be out of a game. Everyone on the team knows the fight was because of you. God, I'm crazy about you, and they know that if anything in my personal life is so significant that I take it out on the ice, then there's a problem. Coach told me to get my head on straight, take the week off."

I gave him the same look again. What was he talking about?

"I love you. I love you enough to fight your ex boyfriend on the ice. I love you so much that it's affecting my judgment and I need to clear my head."

A wave of guilt crashed over me. He couldn't even play the game right. There was too much tied to Boston and Sid couldn't overlook that during yesterday's match. But if he hadn't fallen in love with me, things would be normal for him. The Penguins probably would've won yesterday, and he would be in the game tonight. And for the rest of the week. But instead he had to get his act together before he could sacrifice any more points for the team or himself this season.

"Alright well I'm sorry you can't seem to handle this relationship," I said, and it sounded more harsh than I intended. He got up and walked over to me, pulling me into his arms. I was reluctant to give into his touch.

"Stop. It's not you, it's my stupid head. I've never had a girlfriend during the season like this. It's just hard for me to find the right balance…Look at me." I was avoiding his gaze. "I love you," he said, cupping my face with both hands. His bruises were turning colors and it was honestly gross, but all I wanted to do was fix him.

"I know, I love you too. I just don't want to be the reason you're doing this."

"I'm fine, everything's fine. I just need a little time off from the team while the season's still early and they can afford to sub my line for two games."

"Okay. But I'm still mad at you, you can't go getting your face busted every time you see Tyler."

"Hey, it hasn't been every time." He smiled a little, trying to deal with my quasi-joke lightheartedly.

"You know what I mean," I said and I wrapped my arms around his warm torso, finally accepting his embrace. His lips found themselves attached to my forehead and I pulled back. I stood on my tip toes and kissed his busted lips tenderly. My right hand found the left side of his face and I pulled him into the kiss further, trying not to put any pressure on his bruises.

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

"Shut up."

My lips found his again with enough force to let him know that I wanted him but it was gentle enough not to hurt him any more. His hand dropped to my waist, pulling my hips close to his. Our tongues met and I let his wander my mouth a little before we started to move towards my bedroom.

Once there, I pulled off his shirt and undershirt in one motion, forgetting about the buttons and just tugging them over his head, exposing the silhouette of his chiseled trunk. I kicked my sneakers off and he pulled my tank over my head while I grabbed for his belt. I could see by the dim light of the hall his erection trying to practically break through the light colored fabric and wasted no time freeing it. We were both completely exposed in the dark of my room, and though I couldn't see well, I was mindful of Sid's facial injuries and knew there were probably a few bruises on his stomach that I hadn't seen yet.

I laid down and Sid hovered over me, our legs starting to tangle. His lips were warm and wet, and found the spaces on my neck and chest that made me squirm. I reached down and grabbed the pulsing shaft of his penis, and started gliding my hand up and down, pumping it a few times before soft groans escaped Sid's throat. The sound of his voice made goose bumps erupt over my skin, my body suddenly and completely became putty in his hands. He placed the tip of his erection at my soaked, ready space where he fit perfectly, and without a word, pushed deep inside me. I winced a little, having not yet become accustomed to the size of him, and he placed a soft kiss on my lips. As he set a pace, my hips met his while he thrusted in and out, slowly and passionately. But then the pressure of his kiss changed and I could feel an electricity pulse between us that suddenly ended the apologetic mood between us.

"Roll over," he commanded as he pulled out of me, and I immediately obliged, not thinking about anything but the fact that I needed him back inside me.

On my knees, I pushed my hips up and back towards him and he entered me with such force that I had to brace myself against the headboard while I was propped on my elbows. I bit into my pillow as he thrust into me again, slowly pulling himself back and then pushing into me hard, our bodies making the primal slapping sound as his hips crashed into my backside. I was in complete ecstasy, and couldn't bear the thought of even opening my eyes for fear that I couldn't see straight. His hand knotted into my hair, and the other held onto my hips as he quickened the speed of his thrusting. I couldn't keep quiet, and I could tell he was smiling, pleased with himself that I was in such complete heaven, as was he. I called out his name, begging for more, and he worked until I sensed the change in his breath and the urgency in his thrusting, which quickly sent me over the edge and I cried out in utter pleasure as my orgasm waved over my body. He came quickly after that, collapsing his soaked torso onto my sweat glistened back after he emptied himself deep within my center.

He kissed my neck and nibbled at my earlobe, our breathing still heavy.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, Sid," I echoed, and rolled over, letting him crush me as I held him tightly in my arms.

* * *

_{{Spoiler: endgame with a Stanley Cup and a ring... but will it be Sid or Tyler who wins?}}_


	19. Nineteen

**A/N: Exams and spring break snuck up on me, but I tried to get this one together as best as I could! Sorry it's a little jumpy, I feel like I have a lot of ground to cover to get to where I want this story to be so I apologize for that, but let me know what y'all think! **

After Sid left the next morning, a knock on the front door promptly followed. It wasn't Sid, he would just let himself in. So I curiously walked over after fixing my hair a bit and throwing some clothes on quickly. I looked through the peephole quickly and a leggy brunette stood on the other side, chewing at the pointer fingernail on her left hand. I had recognized her from the lobby of the building, just in passing, so I opened the door.

"Hi.." I said sort of shyly, not really knowing what to expect.

"Hey! I'm Lindsey, I'm your neighbor from across the hall," she said cheerfully. "You just moved in right?" Her dark hair was perfectly curled and she was dressed really well but there was an air in her demeanor that screamed carefree.

"Hey, I'm Charlotte. Uh, yeah. I just moved from Boston this weekend. Do you want to come in?"

"Oh, no, no I just wanted to introduce myself! And I uh, I have a quick question. Did I see Sid Crosby walk out of here not two minutes ago or have I completely lost it?"

I could feel my cheeks redden and couldn't help but crack a smile. "If you've lost it then I have too," I joked, confirming her suspicion.

"Good! Okay I was just checking, he half scared the shit out of me in the elevator. Well let me know if you ever want to grab a drink or anything, or need someone to show you around the city. I'm like, always home. Almost always anyway," she said, her voice still animated. She was genuine though, and I could tell that I'd make an effort to get to know her better.

"Awesome, yeah that would be fun."

We exchanged numbers quickly before she left and I returned to my seemingly never ending unpacking and organizing.

* * *

Sid's week off was a little strange, and a sort of torturous change of pace for us. I didn't want to get used to the idea of always having him around, so I tried to keep myself occupied and he was able to skate at practice for the first couple days of the week before the Penguins left on a four day road trip for games against Buffalo and New Jersey. He spent a good amount of his time talking with the press for the first two days. Rumors obviously had started flying and Pittsburgh wanted to know what was going on with their captain. For all they knew, he was out for the season again. No official word had gone out about Sid's absence until he spoke at an after-practice interview. I had gotten the chance to see him online and had hoped the rest of the city looked past his stitched and bruised face and just listened to what he was saying. He was out of the two upcoming games for precautionary reasons; if there was a chance he would have any symptoms similar to what he had experienced before, then they wanted to catch them as soon as possible, and the best way to do that was to keep him off the ice during games, put him in a no-contact jersey at practice, and let him have a few days to take it easy.

There was no absence of truth to the statement. But the biggest reason they kept him out of the games was so he wouldn't let his big fat head get in the way. Usually, it was the team's best asset. But a stunt like the one he pulled in Boston wasn't worth it again. And he knew it. He had the ego to accommodate his position on the team and in the league as the face of hockey today but my god…sometimes it just got in the way, and that was a prime example of it.

But Sid returned to his normal routine after the Penguins returned the next weekend after two wins on the road, crushing the Sabres but barely escaping with a win against the Devils. He was right – they could manage without him but his return to the team made things complete again.

The team secured second place in the division after Sid made his comeback, only falling behind the Bruins which evoked a sense of urgency in Sid on the ice. He was careful, and everything was calculated during his playing minutes, but he wanted nothing more than to knock the original 6 team off their high horse. It caused tension between us at times, honestly. Sometimes he was so butthurt that he couldn't push his team further that his frustration would spill over into our relationship, and I had to put him in his place occasionally. There was nothing he could say that would change the way he played the game. The only thing that mattered was what happened in the 60 minutes of play. And right now, the Bruins were the better team. I just couldn't stand listening to him talk about it at dinner, or during his rare free time that he had to spend with me, and I was confident enough and loved him enough to tell him to knock it off. I only had to say something about it twice, and he got the picture.

While Sid was busy trying to improve the Penguins' standing in the division, I kept myself busy over the next few weeks getting out and exploring the city with Lindsey. She was originally from the suburbs of Pittsburgh so she knew it well, and it was nice that someone with more time on their hands and a lower profile could help me get used to the area. She took me to all the go-to places for lunch where we learned more about each other and actually became fast friends. She was only a year older than me, working on her Master's at Carnegie Mellon in Architecture, had a brother and two sisters, and in all honesty was a huge Penguins fan.

I had voluntarily talked more about my relationship with Sid after she had talked about how she had just gotten out of a long-term relationship. She said she had heard rumors about it and had obviously seen him at the apartment but had no idea until now that Sid was in a fully committed relationship with me. He had always been freakishly good at keeping his personal life completely sealed off from public view and that his relationship with me was the first time she, or the rest of the city, had any clue as to what went on when Sid wasn't doing team related things. She never jumped down my throat or pried for information, not once. She understood, and that was the most comforting part about our new friendship.

When I wasn't hanging out with Lindsey or running errands, I attended every home Penguins game and cheered on my boyfriend, and saw him whenever his schedule would allow. But I was homesick. It hit me hard when Sid got settled back into the season, which seemed to be a source of tension between us, fueling the already stressful season Sid was having. He was constantly busy and even though I didn't really find myself too bored often, it would hit me like a truck when he left for road trips. He always called to say goodnight and texted me whenever he had a chance to look at his phone, but I was a little lonely and the adjustment was all just a little shocking.

But tonight I found myself with my head in Sid's lap, his arm draped across my stomach as we relaxed on his couch catching up on some TV. I could feel sleep tugging at my eyelids but his voice made me alert once again.

"Will you come to Florida with me?" he asked, breaking the peaceful silence that had fallen between us. It was one of those nights where we just needed each other's company and didn't feel the need to say much.

"If you help me cook on Thursday," my voice was hoarse with exhaustion but I figured a compromise would be the wittiest way to go about his sudden proposal.

I knew the team had a weeklong trip to Florida coming up around Christmas when they would play the Panthers and the Lightning and take a couple days to relax mid-season, but I didn't think he'd ask me to go with him. So I figured if I would accompany him to Florida then he should help me cook Thanksgiving dinner for my family on Thursday, which we had been bickering about. They were flying in tomorrow because I offered to host them for the holiday, but I had never cooked my own Thanksgiving dinner. Sid was all eye-rolly about it because he had the whole day off and wanted to be lazy. But I would need help entertaining the troops and he wouldn't be able to wiggle his way out of this one, so he eventually gave in. If he could have a week off to get his head on straight, I could have my family visit for a couple days.

"Fine." His defeat was accepted and I smiled a little, knowing he would almost always give into me.

"Then fine, I'll come to Florida with you."

* * *

The next day I found myself scrambling to get things together. I had already gone grocery shopping but the real struggle was cleaning before the other four fifths of the Williams quintet stormed the place. I had almost everything unpacked and organized but it had to be spotless. They were flying in this evening and planned to stay at a hotel nearby because I didn't have enough space for them at my place, which wasn't a big deal, but I knew since they hadn't seen my new apartment yet that they would be judgmental, especially since my mom was still bitter about my move.

Sidney had a home game tonight against the Canadiens and as much as I wish I could've gone, I just had too much to do. So I kept it on the TV in the background while I finished cleaning. The family was coming over tonight and I had Thai delivery waiting for them when they got here. It ended up being around 8 by the time they arrived. I hugged everyone like I hadn't seen them in years and was convinced my brother got taller which definitely wasn't the case, but nonetheless I was overjoyed to see them. My mother poked around a little, sort of wary of her surroundings and the fact that I hadn't talked to her much since I left sort of made me feel uneasy, but we all made conversation about their trip and where they were staying and I opened up the paper bags the food was wrapped in. It was nothing fancy but it was my family's favorite so there were no complaints. We all got our plates and found ourselves in the living room watching the Penguins game.

"So when do I get to meet this guy?" Allison asked, sitting cross-legged in one of the armchairs, referring to Sid, whose highlights of the game so far were being shown before the start of the second period.

"Tomorrow if you all are okay with that," I answered. "He has the day off."

"That sounds great," my dad chimed in, trying to curb my sister's slight attitude. "How are you two doing?" he asked.

"We're pretty good. He's busy with the season and everything but I'm keeping busy too. It works out," I replied.

My dad nodded in approval and started talking to Braedon about things he should ask Sid when they see him. I would've normally interjected but it kept them busy and required no effort on my part so I kept eating, my eyes focused on the screen as Sid's line took the ice. They were up 3-1 and I knew they could keep their lead if they kept playing this way they could have the game. Mom and Allison started rating the players based on their appearances. Typical. I nervously picked at my Pad Thai and set my plate down when the Habs scored, minimizing the two-goal gap.

My parents started asking me about how I was settling in, and I was shocked that my mom was actually interested. But I told them about Lindsey who might make an appearance tomorrow and told them that I was getting more comfortable with Pittsburgh. The only real source of anxiety that I tried to keep on the back burner was the University of Pittsburgh decision letter that could come any day now.

The conversation ended when the Canadiens quickly scored another goal in the third, and then another, taking the lead 4-3. My heart sank thinking how Sid was probably beginning to panic a little. At this point they were tied with the Canadiens in the league, and losing this game would mean getting knocked down to third. My fingers crossed, I tried to keep myself engaged in my family's conversation, but my focus was broken once again as Sid was sent to the penalty box for a 2 minute cross-check. _Really? _He made quite the fuss with the ref on the way to the box, but upon replay, he clearly was in the wrong.

The game ended in an ugly 5-3 win by Montreal. The Penguins' early lead was completely shattered, and the team was bumped to third in the division. Sid's time in the box gave the opposing team a power play goal, which sealed the deal at that point. I sent Sid a text, just telling him I loved him, and didn't expect a response for a while. My family was getting restless and exhausted, so I said my goodbyes to them around 10:30 and told them I'd see them tomorrow.

It was a relief to have them out of the house, as much as I loved them. I stared at my phone for a bit, waiting for a response from Sid, but figured I should just get in bed and worry about him tomorrow. But as soon as my head hit the pillow, my phone started ringing, and a picture of the sweet face I had fallen in love with plastered the screen.

"Hey," I said quietly, not knowing what his mood would be.

"Hey babe," he responded. He didn't sound as angry as I had expected, so I figured I wouldn't mention the result of the game and avoid the subject altogether.

"I missed you today," I admitted, thinking about how even though I saw him last night, I wished he was right next to me.

"I can come over if you want me to," he offered. I lit up at the thought, craving the closeness of his body.

"Yeah I want you to. Can you stay the night?"

"Yeah. I'll be there in a few."

"Alright, I think I left the door unlocked so just let yourself in. I'm already in bed."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, Sid."

He was here within ten minutes. He must've just been leaving the Consol when he called. His figure stood in the dimly lit hallway briefly before he entered my dark room, illuminated only by the clock on the table and my phone before I locked it.

Sid wore one of his well-tailored post-game suits, required of him as he left the arena. But he quickly began shedding the layers of clothing he was wearing until he was down to just his briefs. He jumped into bed, throwing the covers over himself. His skin was freezing, and I didn't think it had been that cold out but I laughed and jumped back as he tried to burrow his face into my neck, his nose like an ice cube against my comfortably warm skin.

His hair, which was getting longer and curlier as the season progressed, was still from his shower, and he smelled incredible. I held him in my arms as he warmed up, our legs tangled together. I kissed his forehead and we laid there without saying anything for a while. But I felt his body tense and he squeezed me tighter to him.

"Are you okay?" I asked, knowing he was bothered by something. The game, I assumed.

"You know I hate losing." His tone was serious and I wanted nothing more than to do something to make the blow of the game less hurtful. But I had no idea what would make it better. It was out of my hands.

"I know, babe. It happens though, and the most you can do is learn from the mistakes you made this game."

My advice sounded horribly mediocre, but I literally just didn't know what to say to him. I was never good at pep talks and his level of experience with this was well beyond mine.

"I guess."

He didn't want to talk about it, so I didn't press the issue any further. My lips found his in the darkness of the room and I kissed him softly but intently, making sure he knew I loved him from the kiss alone.

* * *

I woke up before Sid the next morning, and almost before the sun. I had trouble sleeping, tossing and turning over thoughts of how the day, and finally I just got up and decided I'd get an extreme head start on the feast I'd have to cook.

I slid on my panties, which had found their way to the floor in the midst last nights events, and stole Sid's plain white undershirt before I made my way out into the kitchen. I figured I'd let Sid sleep until he felt like it. I knew he was exhausted and was surprised last night when he started putting moves on me, and then had enough energy to finish what he started. I guess it helped that his body was so well conditioned.

I got to work prepping the food. It was only 6:30, but the family was coming over around noon and I wanted to have almost everything in place by then. It might be ambitious but I was determined to impress them. I got the turkey seasoned and buttered and in the oven to cook and then got to work on prepping the vegetables, which I probably wouldn't throw on until the last minute possible.

Sid lazily walked into the kitchen around 8:30, groggily rubbing the sleep from his right eye. His left one was mostly healed, just a scar remaining where the stitches had been.

"Hey sleepy," I said, looking up from the cutting board.

He walked over to me and put his arms around my torso, squeezing me, and then lifting me up. I started laughing, but insisted that he put me down.

"Why would I put you down?" His voice was devilish and made my heart skip a little.

When he wouldn't let me go, I just accepted the fact that I was completely at his whim when he used his strength, and there would probably be a delay in cooking. I wrapped my legs around his hips and held his face in both of my hands as I kissed him, while he carried me into the master bathroom. His hands had a firm grip on my behind but he finally released me when he went to turn the water on in the shower.

All Sid had to do was look at me over his shoulder with those puppy eyes – those chocolate orbs that saw right through me. He pulled me close to him again and pulled his white t-shirt over my head, our lips colliding as soon as my upper body was exposed. I felt his dick hard against me and I tugged his briefs down, taking his length in my hand. I stroked it a few good times while I kissed him, a couple groans coming through Sid's parted lips, and then I dropped to my knees on the cool tile. I swirled my tongue around the sensitive tip and his fingers wove into my hair, tightening as I opened my mouth wider and started sucking. I moved slowly, his throbbing passion sliding in and out of my mouth between my lips. I quickened the speed but when I thought he had had enough I got up.

He practically tore my panties off me and opened the door to the shower. I got in and let the hot water wash over me as Sid pressed me up against the glass wall, his hands all over me, mouth wet on mine. There was a sense of urgency in his movements but that had meant that I'd done what I had set out to do by getting him going.

"Fuck, you're so sexy," he panted, kissing me fully.

"Yeah?" I teased, and his hands dropped to my ass, squeezing it with his large hands, confirming what he'd said.

"I need to be inside you," he whispered in my ear before his lips met the skin of my neck, sucking and nibbling their way down to my breast, and then my nipple. He flicked it with his tongue as it hardened and I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer. The fingers of his right hand found themselves between my legs and his pointer finger circled my clit, agonizingly slowly. I couldn't help but let out small moans as he hit the right spots, then suddenly it stopped, and he turned me over so I was facing the shower wall. I instinctively stuck my hips back, bending over enough for him to have a good angle of entry, and braced myself against the wall. He was starting to catch on that this position made me cum pretty quick, and I couldn't deny that it was my favorite.

He positioned himself and slid effortlessly inside me. His first couple of thrusts were slow so I took the opportunity to grind on him, working my hips with his movements but trying to give him a show at the same time, and from the sound of it, he loved it. And then when he had had enough, he took hold of my hips and set a quick pace. We had done enough fooling around and now he wanted it, bad, and so did I.

"I love you," escaped from my lips.

"I love you, Char," he echoed, the pleasure he was feeling reflected in his tone.

After a few minutes I could tell that he was getting close. He reached around and started rubbing my clit again and I almost lost it right then. But I controlled it and waited until I heard the change in Sid's groans and the shift in his thrusts.

"Cum inside me, baby," I urged him, feeling my own orgasm quickly approaching.

"You want me to fill you up?"

"Uh huh," I said, then quickly biting my lip as his hips pushed into me harder and faster until finally he started to spill himself inside of me, which sent me straight over the edge and I rode my orgasm with him.

He gave a couple slow, emptying thrusts before pulling out and I straightened myself, letting his jizz empty out of me and wash down the drain. I cleaned myself up quickly and practically collapsed against his solid body, my arms wrapping around him. The steaming water poured over us as he held me there, his lips firmly against my forehead.

"I love you more than anything, I hope you know that." Sid's voice was soft but he was serious. I looked up so my eyes met his. Beads of water bounced off his curls and streamed down his body, forming rivers against the muscles of his shoulders and chest. He was perfect, and I kissed his huge lips because I just couldn't resist it anymore.

"I love you too," I said. "More than anything."

It was true. Even though being with him wasn't always easy, and had actually gotten off to probably the worst start it possibly could have, we loved each other. We were making it work and I understood what it was like to have to juggle a season with a relationship, so the bumps that came along with that were expected. We had only 'officially' been together for two months but we were getting settled into things now that I had made the move to the city, and our routine was getting easier to manage when he was home and when he was on the road.

We got each other clean and got out of the shower and dressed for the day. I didn't realize that Sid had brought a bag with him so he wouldn't have to go back to Sewickley, which was convenient.

"You wanna suit up with me tomorrow? We have an optional skate but I can get the ice after if you wanna skate before the game."

_Skate before the game? _I thought. His pregame routine was always the same. Always. But maybe it would be early enough where he could still do his usual thing. I had my gear somewhere – I remember unpacking it, I would just have to put it all together. Sid had seen me skate before but not play and I guess this would be the closest he would get. His game tomorrow against the Senators would be the last home game for five days and I really wanted to spend every minute with him that I could, so I would of course agree to go.

"Yeah, sure." I agreed to his proposition. "But we have to survive my family today first…"

* * *

_To Be Continued…_


	20. Twenty

**A/N: I think this is going to be the usual wait time on a chapter now. I'm so busy until the end of the semester so I apologize and I hope you all know that I wish I could write this story all the time but it's just not possible with all of my other work. But thank you so much for your continued feedback, y'all leave the best reviews! Still have a lot of ground to cover in this story but I hope you guys are hanging in there with me!**

Thanksgiving ended in tears, as I had mostly expected it to.

After Sid and I had pulled ourselves together after our shower, I realized that I had left the blueberry pie in the second oven for about a half hour too long. Panicked, I opened the oven, trying to think of ways to salvage the horribly burnt pie, but the smoke pouring from within it signaled that there was no hope for it. Sid opened the living room windows, letting the fresh, crisp November air swirl throughout the apartment, but I could feel tears build in my eyes before I even realized I was upset. I grabbed potholders and pulled the disaster out of the smoky space and set it on the marble counter, then took the mitts off and quickly tried to wipe at the unnecessary tears before Sidney saw but it was too late.

He quickly had me in his arms after walking a few long strides over to me, holding me close to his warm, solid body.

"Shh, it's okay. It's just a pie," Sid said, laughing a little. It was ridiculous that I was crying and I completely knew that, but I buried my face in his neck.

"It's not just a pie!" I practically wailed.

It really wasn't just the pie throwing me into an emotional frenzy. It was everything, and Sid realized that shortly after that, pulling me even closer to him. Things seemed too up in the air for me, and having my family here was extremely overwhelming. Yes, I loved Sid. That I knew. But I didn't know if I was even going to get into school, since I only applied to one and placed all my bets on it. And my family hated the fact that I was here; that I uprooted myself from my home of 22 years and took off to start a new life with Sid. I wanted more than anything to impress them today and all of a sudden it had just gotten thrown back in my face. I had spent the day cleaning yesterday and when they came over for dinner, they all made phony conversation and I'm sure all they did was talk about what a mistake I had made coming here when they went back to their hotel. So burning the pie was the last straw.

Sid, who had been busy with his own schedule the past few days, realized that I was genuinely distraught and started to focus his energy on me. He tried his best to comfort me and I tried my hardest to explain to him why I was feeling this way. It had nothing to do with him, but everything to do with him at the same time. I was in Pittsburgh because of him, and he knew that, and he accepted it, and he kissed my forehead.

"Everything works out the way it's supposed to, you know? If you were supposed to be in Boston right now, you would be." His voice was soothing and I tried to focus on his words and my breathing to calm me down.

"I know, but they hate me!" I just couldn't calm down yet.

"They don't hate you, Charlotte. They're your family. They'll stick by you no matter what you do or where you go. If they hated you, they wouldn't have traveled all this way to spend two days with you. They love you. Your mom just misses you… you guys have been through a lot this past year and I know I don't really understand that… but I can imagine what she's feeling watching you leave after what you've dealt with. It's an adjustment for everyone but Pittsburgh and Boston aren't that far away from each other and if you're homesick, we can make trips there however often you want.."

He was being too sweet, and most of what he said was spot on. The real conflict was with my mother, who was being too standoffish and not supportive enough, compared to how she had been before. And we _had_ been through a lot together this past year – way more than I could have imagined – and she had become my best friend again. But things got tense when my relationship with Tyler went sour, and she couldn't get over her own opinions and accept that maybe Sidney was the right guy for me now – and he was.

"I just want to make them proud, you know? Like I can do this, I really can. I've just been so dependent on them my whole life."

"They know you can do it. You're getting settled here, and I know it's hard when I'm not home but I do my best… I know you can do this. Everything's gonna be okay, I promise. And we get to go to Florida in a couple of weeks. Getting away for a while will be good."

I nodded and he pressed his warm lips to mine, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Here, let's get this cleaned up and I'll help you get everything else ready," he said, turning his attention towards the scorched pie on the counter behind him.

Sid helped me get everything else ready with no complaints, which I appreciated more than anything. I knew he was tired and he wouldn't have another full day off for a week or so but him seeing me vulnerable like this changed something in his mood.

By some grace of whatever god was looking out for us that day, we pulled everything together before my family's arrival. They were early, but just in time to sit down to eat before the Patriots and the Steelers played. Sid was the only one who defended the Pittsburgh team, even though they got their asses handed to them by New England, which my father was more than ecstatic about. Sid and Allison, who had yet to meet, were getting along quite well until Allison switched off her good behavior switch and started grilling Sidney after the game ended, when all game conversation had been finished.

"So, you're not going to get my sister pregnant are you?" She asked, coldly and out of the blue.

I shot her a sharp look, wishing my eyes could throw daggers right at her. "Are you kidding, Al?" I asked, completely mortified, tears streaming from my eyes before I could push them back. Her face was absent of any expression that would indicate she regretted what she said to me, and that killed me. My sister had distanced herself from me for no reason and after all this hard work I put in to hosting everyone for Thanksgiving, I was just hurt. I thought she would atleast be friendly, considering it was the first time she and Sid had actually met, but she couldn't get over the fact that this wasn't Tyler we were dealing with. The air in the room completely shifted and I could see my dad trying to think of something quick to say and Sid just stirred in his seat on the couch next to me, putting his hand on my thigh, the warmth of it comforting.

"Um, no. No I don't," he said stiffly, knowing how horrifying this had just turned.

"Sidney, you're playing the Flyers tomorrow night, right? What a great rivalry…" Dad finally chimed in and I was glad someone said _something_. My pulse slowed back to a bearable pace.

"Yeah, are you guys staying in town? I can grab some tickets or see if there's a box open." Sid was being generous and he knew they weren't staying, but he asked anyway.

"No, unfortunately. I have to get back to work. But Braedon is still actually on vacation for a few more days. Do you wanna go, kiddo? We can switch your flight if you want to stay with Charlotte." My dad offered the opportunity to my brother and though he wouldn't show it on his face, I knew that he was beyond ecstatic.

"Uh yeah, I can stay. I just have to be back by Sunday for practice," Braedon said, trying not to jump out of his skin.

"Alright, we'll get that arranged. Well, I'm going to grab plate #3, anyone with me?" Dad had saved the day once again and my mother, who looked less than impressed with my sister, got up to join him.

* * *

My family left for Boston on the first flight out Friday morning, and Braedon and I drove them in the Audi before we figured out a plan with Sid. His optional practice had turned into a mandatory one but it was in town at 9, so we wouldn't have to worry about driving too far and we had some time to kill before we would have to meet him so I took him downtown for brunch before coming back to dig out my hockey gear.

"He wants you to suit up with him?" Braedon asked, impressed.

"Yeah, he wants you to come too. I know you don't have your gear but Sid said he has a lot of extra at his place if you're alright with taking a swing out there." Sid had texted me early letting me know that Braedon was more than welcome to join us, and that he could help himself to the extra padding and skates in the gym in his basement. He gave me the passcode to get in through his gate and let me know the location of his extra house key and how to shut the security system off.

"No, no I couldn't do that. I … I –" Braedon was having a hard time comprehending that the best offensive player in the NHL was letting him wear his gear. They were about the same size, Braedon being a little taller, but it would work out just fine. Braedon would just have to accept that.

"Yes, you can. And you will. Come on, let's get going."

We drove the 20ish minutes outside the city to Sidney's house, and got inside with no problems after following Sid's detailed instructions. Sam greeted us, wagging her tail rapidly, excited to have some company. I found her treat jar and gave her a couple extra from Sid, and then we worked our way to the basement after giving Braedon a mini tour. He was in awe – that he was in Sidney Crosby's house. He still hadn't gotten over the fact either that I was dating Sid, but he would adjust to it. Sid wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Braedon found gear that fit him and we took off back for the city just in time to find my stuff and meet Sid at the Consol. The parking attendants in the VIP lot knew we were coming and let us in, and I had my pass from previous home games to get us around the building if anyone asked, but people were genuinely friendly and had started to recognize me, even though Sid and I hadn't really gone public with our relationship.

We met Sid outside the Penguins locker room, and he gave us the all-clear to enter, knowing no one else was in there. I had never seen this area – a vital place in Sid's career, and it was just how I had pictured it. We got suited up and wore practice jerseys provided for us, and Sid changed into goalie gear, which let me know something was up.

When we got out on the ice, there were 9 other guys skating, including Fleury, Dupuis, Cooke, Neal, Kennedy, Bennett, Letang, Orpik and Malkin, who had hung around after practice. Braedon and I were definitely surprised and a little hesitant to step out onto the ice, but Sid reassured us with a smile. The guys were welcoming, and started up conversation right away with Braedon. I hung back with Sid at first, thanking him for doing this and for including my little brother. He told me not to mention it and I wish there was a way I could make all of this up to Sid, but I would think of it eventually.

We joined the rest of his teammates and divided into two teams for a quick pick up game. I was picked by Malkin to join him, Fleury, Neal, Bennett and Kennedy while Braedon was picked to be on the opposing team.

"We go easy," Geno said to me in his thick Russian accent, smiling his toothy grin as he promised not to hurt me. I was glad he had returned to his friendly self after definitely being frustrated with me in Boston. But he was such a genuine guy and held no grudges, so that was a relief.

"The hell did Bylsma go?" Kris asked as we lingered on the ice for a bit.

Brooks pointed past him to the tunnel were their coach was emerging. They needed someone to drop the puck and who better to do it than their head coach? He slid out onto the ice in his dress shoes, which were coordinated with his well-tailored navy suit he wore, and walked over to the group.

"Is this her?" Dan asked Sid, pointing to me. I took off my helmet, a little nervous, but Sid nodded happily and skated over to me.

"Yeah, Coach this is Charlotte," Sid said and I shook the man's extended hand.

"Nice to finally meet you, I've definitely heard a lot about you." He smiled as he shook my hand and slapped Sid on the back.

"She skates – you've got a good one. Now if she can score on you, that'll be a different story…"

Sid laughed and I gave him a look, challenging him. I didn't want him to let me score on him, I wanted to show him that I actually could. But then Sid introduced his coach to my brother, and before we knew it the puck had dropped and the scrimmage was underway. We agreed to play first to three goals wins, and the pressure was on both sides to put the puck past the two goalies.

My team was up 2-1 with two goals from Malkin and a surprising goal from my brother on Fleury. I was proud of my brother for showing what he could do on the ice and actually surprised that I could keep up with the guys for the most part. Sure, they weren't skating at their maximum potential but they weren't taking it too easy, throwing a couple hits around and keeping the pressure on each other. But suddenly I found myself receiving a pass from Beau Bennett on a quick play and every one seemed to hang back while I wound up to take a shot.

And got it in.

Everyone behind me started getting loud, laughing at Sid for letting his girlfriend score on him and hollering because they were shocked I could actually play. It wasn't like Sid was an extremely experienced goalie, but he was better than any I had played against. They all came and patted me on the back, and Sid skated to me, taking his helmet off.

"You didn't let me score, did you?" I asked, undoing the chinstrap on my own headgear.

"I wish I did…" he replied, and after he received some more crap from the guys, they decided that I was actually alright – that they would accept me for being something more than just a threat looming over their captain. They had all been very nice to me the few times we had experienced each other before the Boston incident, and after that I wasn't sure they'd be so cordial. But with their pats on the back and a noogie from Geno, I was certain that they had finally welcomed me in.

"So are you coming out with us tonight?" Beau asked, and I shot a glance to Sid, wondering what was going on.

"Some of the guys want to go to Diesel after the game. We don't have to go if you want, but it's up to you." Sid clearly sounded like he wanted to go and my only concern was Braedon.

"Can he get in?" I asked, motioning to my barely-legal brother.

"Yeah he's fine," Sid reassured and with that, I agreed we would go.

* * *

After Braedon and I left Sid and the Consol, we met Lindsey back at my place so we could show Braedon around our end of the city. Lindsey gave him a walking tour of the area while I just provided occasional conversation, having already experienced Lindsey's tour-giving abilities. We had traveled to Pittsburgh plenty of times as a family but had never gotten to really experience the city, so Braedon was clearly having a good time which was a relief. I was worried we'd bore him, especially since he had to spend the afternoon with two girls but he seemed to be enjoying himself just fine, and Lindsey was talking his ear off about hockey.

I dropped a bomb on Lindsey I knew she wouldn't be able to resist. I had already talked about it with Sid before I left, and he gave me the go ahead. We turned into a Starbucks on our way back to the apartments to warm up our hands a little, and I figured that would be a good time to ask her as we sat in the huge chairs by the window.

"I know you won't say no, so don't argue this one. But Sidney gave me an extra ticket for tonight's game and you're the only person I know who'd want to go."

Her eyes got big and her piano key teeth presented themselves in her perfect grin.

"You know I won't say no to that one," she said, gleaming.

"There's one catch though…" I tried to make it sound ominous and she actually might try to fight me on the next part of my plan.

"And that is…?" She gave me a troubled look, not knowing what I would say next.

"Some of the guys want to go out tonight after the game and I'd have to drag you along with me if that's okay with you."

She got a nervous, yet excited look on her face and I knew she was trying to contain herself. Braedon laughed a little, and while Braedon has had experiences around the big guys, Lindsey has always just been a fan. Then a smirk spread across her mouth, and I knew this night was about to get wild.

* * *

We sacrificed a nice dinner to get ready for the evening. We went back to our apartments and I let Lindsey raid my closet for something to wear. Even though she had plenty of going out clothes, she had never seen a closet as full as mine and I was more than willing to let her wear something. I settled on a skin-tight long sleeve black dress with sparkling white pumps, and Lindsey chose a one-shoulder mint colored dress and gold wedges. We straightened our hair and did our going-out make up while Braedon vegged on the couch. Atleast he had a button up shirt and some pants with him so he didn't look completely simple when we went out.

Lindsey wanted to watch the warmup skate so we left for the rink at 6. Sid had gotten me the gate pass for the Audi, which was really convenient, and I was finally in with security so we wouldn't have a problem getting into the building and beating the crowd.

We got to our seats, our bare legs erupting with goosebumps as the cool air from the arena waved over us. I double checked our tickets we had gotten from the box office and realized we were in the completely wrong section, which caught me off guard because I thought the seats would be my usual ones. But we corrected ourselves and took our spots just a moment before the Penguins and the Flyers made their way onto the ice for warmups. I see why Sid switched it up, because it put us in the corner on the glass behind the Penguins' net, where he could see me for warmups but wouldn't be distracted by me during one of the more important matches of the season.

The guys shot pucks on their starting goalie, Flower, who looked ready in the net. But when Sid caught sight of us, he started shooting his pucks at the glass in front of us, while still paying attention to his team. Lindsey gave me a look and I nodded, confirming that he was doing it on purpose. The people who had gathered at the glass to take pictures started banging on it, wanting Sid to hit a puck up into the netting and down to them. And he did. Lindsey ended up catching it, as he shot it to us again, but she gave it to a little boy sitting beside us, knowing he would have much more appreciation for it than she would. I don't think she had ever had glass seats to watch her favorite team and I was glad to have someone who actually liked going to the games to accompany my brother and me.

The game moved quickly and the rivalry was as heated as ever. And the guys wouldn't be able to catch a break from it either – they had a road trip planned over the next week and they would be matched against Philly again next Saturday. But it seemed like every time one goal went in, the other team would shoot a quickie and score, making it tied 4-4 at the end of the second. Lindsey and I both agreed that we needed drinks, and I illegally supplied my brother with a beer as we returned to our seats for the third period. Luckily, Sid was able to get a breakaway goal and Beau Bennett fed off an assist from Sid as well to give the Penguins a lead, and they maintained that two-goal gap until the final buzzer sounded. The defense of the Flyers had become a sieve and ours stepped it up more than they had the first 40 minutes of play, which made for a happy captain and a happy team as they flocked around their goalie.

"Wow, what a great game!" Lindsey exclaimed as we waited for people to file out to avoid most of the crowd.

"Well let me know if you ever want to come to home games with me, I'm usually down here by myself like a square," I laughed, extending the offer.

"I'll have to take you up on that, I haven't been to a game in a while actually."

"Good, it's settled then. Now, how the hell are we getting you into this club?" I asked, turning to my brother, whose face mirrored his age. Yeah he was big, and had broad shoulders, but you could tell he was still practically a baby.

"They said not to worry about it. Come on, let's go."

Braedon urged us to leave after the team had finished appointing the stars of the game and interviewing Sid on the ice. We headed down to where the dressing room was and waited for Sid to be done with the media and for him to collect the other players that were heading out with us tonight. We didn't have to wait too long, and when Sid met us with his group, I wrapped my arms around his neck and congratulated him, but was careful not to be too affectionate while there was press there.

"A solid win," I commended. "Oh, this is Lindsey, I don't think you guys have officially met."

I turned to my new friend and introduced them, and then introduced her to Bennett, Geno, Kennedy and Neal. Her cheeks flushed a little as she shook their hands and we started to put together our plan for the night. Sid suggested I take my car back to my apartment just because they had a driver for the night and it would be easier than coming back tomorrow to get my Audi. So Lindsey and I did that and left Braedon with the other boys.

"So, this is your life?" Lindsey asked, not quite star-struck but definitely surprised at the events that were taking place.

"Ha, yeah I guess." This had always been my life. Hockey and partying. And I was unsure of how long that would last but for now it was enough.

"Tonight's gonna be good then." Lindsey had a devilish look and I mirrored it, knowing it was actually about to be a blast.

* * *

Sid picked us up a few minutes after we got back to the apartments. After a quick makeup check we were ready to hit the town. The drive to Diesel wasn't too long but the post-game traffic made things more difficult than they should have been. But once we arrived, we pulled up to a back entrance and were immediately let in by someone waiting at the door. No questions asked, no words exchanged. Wow, I guess there really wouldn't be an issue getting Braedon in.

Once inside, we had VIP treatment upstairs in a private lounge, where the bottle service certainly was not slow. The guys removed their suit jackets and lost their ties, ready to let loose. I hadn't really partied like this since the whole incident in August but I didn't sense any drama coming my way tonight, and grabbed a bottle of champagne for each Lindsey and I, while Braedon and Beau were becoming fast friends over a bottle of Jack. I made eyes at Sid from across the room while Geno poured him a shot, and he flashed a quick smile back at me.

When Lindsey and I had finished our bottles, we took a few rounds of Goose with the boys. It was nice being the only girls, and the group was small enough so we could actually enjoy each other's company.

"To new friends, and fuck the Flyers!" Kennedy toasted, and we clinked our shot glasses together one last time before we hit the dance floor, taking the bottle of vodka with us.

* * *

I woke up in a fog. The room was familiar and it took me a minute to realize it was my own. _Still drunk_. Sid was fast asleep next to me and I had a moment of panic before I realized I had completely blacked out last night. The last image I had in my mind from the party was tipping the bottle of vodka back on the dance floor. Old habits I guess. I jumped up quickly – too quickly, the spins still inflicting themselves upon my vision, and made my way out into the hallway, still in last night's dress. I tugged it down my legs so I wasn't so exposed to the cool air in the house. The clock on the wall read 7:45, and there seemed to be a mass of bodies spread out across my living room as it came into view –illuminated by the just-risen early morning sun. Geno took the couch, tool small for it and curled up. Braedon slept upright in a chair, and Neal and Kennedy had apparently found the floor a comfortable place to sleep.

I checked my guest room and found it locked, and occupied. _Oh god_, I thought. Lindsey could deal with that when she woke up, as I assumed Beau was in there with her. But I walked back to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water, hoping it would wash the nausea away. I was relieved that everyone had crashed at my place so I knew where they were, and I was more than elated that my brother was alive and in one piece from last night. From the looks of it, I wasn't the only one who went too hard. As I leaned against the fridge, my eye caught sight of a pile of mail I don't remember grabbing from the lobby downstairs. There on the counter was a torn-open envelope from UPitt and the letter determining my future face down beside it. _Why on Earth did I think to get the mail?_

I took another gulp of water, almost certain I was going to be sick now, and flipped the milky-colored piece of paper over.


	21. Twenty One

**A/N: Here's another chapter for you guys who were so patient waiting for the last one. I was going to skip ahead more in the story in the chapter I had planned to write but I thought I could add some twists. Let me know your thoughts in the reviews, I really do read them and take them all into account when I write! And don't get too mad at me for the end of this chapter…;)**

"Please come with me, Charlotte. I don't want you here by yourself if you're going to keep this up." Sid's voice sounded exhausted. Exhausted from trying to deal with me for the past 4 days. And I couldn't blame him; I was being extremely difficult about everything and just didn't know what to do with myself.

"And do what? Sit in a hotel room all alone? I can mope here, thanks."

I got off his bed from beside his suitcase as he packed, and went to the bathroom. I really did have to pee, but I just didn't want to hear him lecture me any more about failure and success and blah blah blah. I didn't have to be rude to him about it, considering he was a saint for putting up with me, but everything had always worked out for him somehow, and here I was. Denied from the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, in a long distance relationship half the time, and stuck in a city I still don't even know. The long distance relationship was something I could handle, don't get me wrong. I had done it before and it wasn't the distance that made things difficult, but the loneliness that came with being away from my family and not having friends here. Or anywhere anymore really.

"Charlotte," Sid said quietly as he knocked on the door twice.

"What?"

"Atleast come to New York. Then you can go home for a little while if you need to."

My heart sank a little. I really needed to go home and get my head on straight. I needed to talk to my family about what I should do and a break from being lonely when Sidney was gone, because even though I had Lindsey, she was also a fulltime grad student. I didn't want to leave Sid so I guess going as far as New York on this next road trip wouldn't kill me, and it would be easy to get home from there.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"I'll come."

I opened the door and crashed my body into his, needing to feel his arms around me. He kissed my forehead and held me close to him. He was the only thing I knew I wanted right now, and I couldn't figure out what the hell I needed to do with my life aside from be with Sid. That was definite.

"Let's get your butt packed then, we need to be at the airport in a few hours."

* * *

I took a separate plane from the team but met Sid at our hotel in New York City that night. We would have two nights here together before he took off for Toronto Friday and then to Philly for their game Saturday. The first night we had reservations at a restaurant called Maialino by Gramercy Park and got dressed up for our private dining venture. The city was cold for the first of December but the night was clear and we had a driver take us through the city so we could do some sightseeing without actually having to battle the brisk air and possibly unwanted attention. Dinner was nice too, and our conversation wasn't geared towards the horrible past few days I had had which was a good change of pace. Sid had an interview and cover shoot for a spread in Sports Illustrated tomorrow before the game so we mostly talked about that. But I could tell something had been on his mind during that conversation, and he finally spilled it.

"How do you feel about going public with our relationship?" He asked, timidly – like he was afraid I would say no.

"Aren't we already pretty public?" I asked, sort of confused about what he was asking.

"I mean, I always get asked that question…and I never answer it. But people speculate and there are rumors flying about us and maybe we should just confirm it – put it out there." This was definitely something he had never done before, and I could tell he didn't know if it was the right thing to do. But I honestly didn't see a problem with it, especially since if he was asking then he didn't expect anything to happen to our relationship between now and when the magazine is published, and neither did I.

"I think it's fine, if you're okay with it. People see us out sometimes anyway, now we wouldn't really have to worry about what to say. It's not like Sports Illustrated is a tabloid or anything, and the whole article wouldn't revolve around it. So I don't see any harm in it."

He liked my argument and we wrapped up dinner, ready to get back to the hotel and just enjoy each other's company. The king size bed looked way too welcoming but I made a point to kick my heels off and head to the bathroom to wash off my make up before changing into some more comfortable clothes. I returned to the room to find Sid in just his briefs, lying on top of the duvet with his iPhone in hand. I stripped down and stole a Penguins shirt out of his bag, and curled up next to him after pulling it on.

"Hey." His voice was soft and melted like butter in my ears.

"Hey," I echoed, looking up into his brown eyes.

"You're beautiful," he said, pulling me flush against his warm body.

I smiled and kissed his smooth cheek, thankful I had a guy like him to tell me that every day. His lips caught mine and suddenly I forgot about the rejection letter and the hell the past few days had been and immersed myself completely in the situation. He had a gravitational pull and I couldn't avoid it, even if I had been in the worst mood.

He shifted so his body hovered over mine, and deepened each kiss as our lips met. I craved his touch and his hand rubbing my hip and side was electric.

"I love you," I said, breaking away from his lips for a moment.

He looked down at me, his eyes loving and focused entirely on me.

"I love you too," he said.

"No, like I really love you. I mean it. I'm sorry I've been such a bear lately, you don't deserve to have to be around me when I'm like that." All of a sudden I was very apologetic. He was always too good to me. He was such a sweet person without a bad bone in his body (well, off the ice…) and I honestly didn't deserve to be with him.

"Stop talking," he whispered, and I felt his smile on my lips before I could say another word.

He slid the shirt I had stolen from him up and over my head, revealing my bare torso, and started kissing my body slowly from the crease of my jawbone and my neck to the dip in my collarbone, across my chest to each nipple and then down the midline of my stomach. And then he tugged at my thong and slid it down my slender legs. I pulled him close to me and kissed him with every ounce of love I had in me for him, and pulled down his briefs. He knew I wouldn't be able to tug them off myself so he added them to the other strewn about clothes on the floor.

He positioned himself between my legs and slid into me without a word. I think we had come to a mutual agreement that we would only have to feel each other and that would be enough tonight. I rocked my body with his, planting my feet on the bed so I could move my hips with each thrust Sid gave. The rippling muscles of his back fit in my palms and I grabbed and clawed at them slowly as we moved, and he buried his face into my neck, kissing and exhaling his soft groans into it.

Making love instead of fucking was a good change of pace – not that we ever fucked lovelessly or didn't care about one another's needs – but it was reassuring that we were supposed to be together and truly wanted each other in every sense of the word. He wasn't a replacement or a rebound. I was supposed to be here with him right now and this just solidified that notion.

We stayed in this position but just quickened the pace, and after a little while longer, we both reached our climax, and fell asleep tangled in the soft hotel sheets, floating to sleep on a cloud of ecstasy.

* * *

The next day was a little hectic. Sid had morning skate so we woke up with the sun and got room service before he had to leave. I busied myself by talking to my dad, and let him know my plan for coming home. I'd be on my way to Boston tomorrow and would stay for about a week, returning to Pittsburgh for their match against the Bruins next Thursday. He thought it was a good idea for me to get my head on straight and reset. Being home for just one or two days wasn't enough and I needed to be around my family. My brother, who had luckily survived our eventful night last Friday and made it home Saturday night, had a few games that I wanted to go to next week and I needed to make things right with Allison.

Sid wanted me to meet him at Madison Square Garden for the Sports Illustrated shoot, so I had a car pick me up around 11. SI had originally wanted to do the shoot in Pittsburgh on home ice and in the Pens dressing room but schedule conflicts on both ends had forced the shoot to take place in New York, which wasn't such a bad compromise.

When I got there, a woman named Claire met me at the door with an access pass and I followed her through the building to the visiting dressing room. Sid's interview was just about to start, and he sat in his gear overtop some Under Armour but wasn't wearing a jersey. A very well dressed man sat next to him with a tape recorder, and they both stood up when I entered the room.

I smiled at Sid, who introduced me to the interviewer. The man said his name was Brian and extended his hand, which I shook before I took a seat next to Claire on the bench in front of Fleury's cubby to watch the interview unfold. Brian had a weird air about him – I couldn't quite place it but his perfect smile seemed like it should be crooked. But Brian mostly asked Sid about the team's success this season so far. After the past few games, they had attained the second spot in the Eastern Conference, but still fell short to the Bruins, who they would be facing again shortly in Pittsburgh. Sid never once attributed his own success to his finely tune skills. It was all about his team, his lineys, and his goal tenders. Brian actually mentioned how Sid was the most selfless captain he had ever interviewed, and Sid just shrugged, explaining he couldn't face another team on the ice alone and pull off a win.

Some more questions about tonight's game and Sid's pregame rituals were asked, and then finally the bomb was dropped.

"So I see this beautiful lady sitting next to us, and it's known that you're extremely guarded about your private life, but I have to ask…" Brian flashed an almost apologetic smile to Sid and I laughed quietly to myself as the guy thought he was going to crack the code or something with Sid. It was pretty obvious who I was, and he was just fishing for gossip.

"Yeah, that's my girlfriend. She's great, really great." Sid's confession actually shocked the reporter. Sid? Talking about his personal life? Unheard of. But Brian took it and ran with it.

"Does your relationship affect your game…I mean your success at all?" Brian dug deeper.

"Uh yeah, I think so. I play well when I'm in a good mood and she makes me pretty happy."

"I can count the number of times you've dropped the gloves on one hand, fewer for your opponent actually, and rumors have flown surrounding this…was that tussle you had with Tyler Seguin the last time you played Boston related to this relationship in any way? It's no secret what went on with Charlotte and Tyler. Is it going to affect your match against them this week?"

Oh. Wasn't expecting that one – neither of us were, judging by the quick look Sid gave me. He was sorry, and so was I. I was honestly just offended that this guy bothered to even feed into the rumors but I guess it was his job and I couldn't lose my temper. This was important for Sid, and while it might not have been a good question to ask, it was done.

"Fights on the ice usually steam from how the game is being played. Boston is a physical team and it was a physical game…and we were expecting that. There's a level of preparedness that the team needs to meet for games like these and while we may have mentally been ready, I personally couldn't predict a fight between Seguin and me. We just had a disagreement on the ice and that was that. I guess when we play them next week we'll just have to stay on our toes."

Sid was able to deflect the question while still answering it, which was a relief. They had a disagreement on the ice because of me… and Sid had most definitely provoked it, but he worded his answer the way anyone would expect Sid to address a situation like that. I didn't want Tyler involved in this interview at all, nor was I expecting him to be involved, and beating around the bush like Sid had was probably the best and Brian got the hint that he shouldn't have gone there.

"We're glad the hit wasn't as serious as it looked then, considering your absence from a few games."

"Same. I haven't seen any footage of the hit but I sure felt it. And the time off was just precautionary – another bad blow to the head could put me out permanently so we didn't want to take any chances and put me in the game if I could be showing concussion-like symptoms again."

"Well said, I'm glad the air is cleared about a few things then."

This Brian guy was slimy, and after a few closing questions, the interview was done. The unexpected turn it had taken was a little disheartening but no truth was really bent – it just wasn't very appropriate for a big time magazine interview.

People descended upon Sid as soon as Brian left. Hair and makeup people getting him camera ready for the shoot, the photographer trying to discuss his view for the images he wanted to capture. Sid was very quiet through it all, answering questions simply. I just hung out, not really sure what to do with myself, but they had apparently constructed a makeshift set out on the ice and on the bench while Sid was in his interview.

While everyone shifted gears, I went out into the stands and made a comfortable spot for myself. The set was definitely thrown together, but I'm sure there were certain restrictions about lighting and what sort of equipment they could use so they wouldn't damage the playing surface irreparably before the game tonight.

After about a thousand frames had been shot of Sid on the ice and leaning in various ways against the boards and on the bench, all with jersey-on and jersey-off poses, the shoot was finally over.

* * *

The Rangers game was possibly more intense than the Flyer's game. The first two and a half periods were physical and scoreless, then with ten minutes left in the third, the Penguins scored, and the Rangers echoed it within less than a minute, tying the game 1-1. At the two-minute mark, everyone was certain the game was going to go into overtime with the way both teams were playing. No progress was really being made on either side and the clock bled out until Sid's line was sent to the ice in the last 20 seconds. A play was set up when the Penguins got possession of the puck and after some passing, Dupuis fed the puck to Sid and he got a quick shot on the goal as they approached the Ranger's net.

And it went in.

The team was ecstatic, and with this win, the Penguins became tied for first place with the Bruins point-wise. I knew Sid would have a lot of press to deal with after the game so I decided to meet him back at the hotel to congratulate him the best way I knew how.

* * *

Suddenly I was back in Boston. It snuck up on us and it was hard to leave Sidney for a week but we both had things to take care of. My dad met me at the airport on his lunch break in his BMW and drove me back home to Wellesley with him.

We pulled up to our familiar home that I missed exponentially, but a dark car sat in our driveway. _Are you fucking kidding me?_

"You didn't tell me Tyler was here," I grumbled, wishing I could move his Maserati out into the middle of traffic with my eyes.

"I uh.. I wasn't expecting him to be here actually. Braedon's home so I'm sure that's why he's here."

I rolled my eyes and got out of the car, hauling my suitcase out of my dad's trunk. He tried to take it for me and wheel it into the house but I protested and was adamant that I do it myself. I knew Tyler and Braedon saw a lot of each other, and I couldn't stop them from being brothers more than anything, but it irked me that Braedon knew I was coming home and still let my ex over. I assumed by the absence of my mom's car that she and Allison probably went out before he came back from the city for the weekend, and didn't feel the need to mention my ETA to him.

I walked inside with my dad, who insisted he come inside to make sure no drama went down, and didn't need to walk two steps before I saw Tyler, his friend Freddy and my little brother making lunch in the kitchen – music blasting, food everywhere, a couple beers on the counter. It took them a second to see me, not having heard the door open.

"Everything okay in here, boys?" My dad's deep voice boomed through the house, interrupting their bro session.

"Shit," Braedon muttered, and turned off the kitchen stereo.

I just took my suitcase and lugged it up the stairs, shaking my head as I started walking.

"I'm sorry, Charlie. I didn't realize you were coming home this early," Braedon apologized, as he ran to the foot of the grand staircase.

"Don't worry about it," I said curtly, and hiked up the rest of the stairs to my room.

I could hear my dad's voice from my bed as I laid there, trying to think of what to do. I figured hiding out up here would be the best and least stressful plan of action. But my dad didn't stay long and the loud music sounded through the house in no time.

After a while, I heard a knock on my door. It was locked, so no one could get in, and I didn't feel like responding. But there was a knock again. I hadn't noticed the music stop downstairs which surprised me but I finally decided to get up and open it.

"Ty, I-"

I didn't have time to say more than two words before his lips were on mine – and the worst part was that I didn't even think twice before kissing him back. My hands cupped his scruffy face and he pushed me further into the room, closing the door behind him. I ripped the black t-shirt he was wearing over his head and he unzipped the dress I was wearing and had it down to my ankles in seconds. I reached for his belt as I stepped out of the dress, kicking off the heels I hadn't thought to take off, and had him naked before me as he unhooked my bra and slid off my panties.

"Fuck, I've missed you," he panted, pulling his lips away from mine, and crashed his hips into me, forcing the backs of my knees against the bed.

We laid down, his sculpted frame on top of my comparatively tiny one, and explored each other's mouths with our tongues, revisiting our familiar bodies. He was much more aggressive than Sid in bed, that was for sure, but he wasn't very rough. Just eager. I rolled him over onto his back and straddled his hips, holding his stiff erection in my hand, stroking it as I sucked on his neck and kissed his chest. I grabbed a condom and slid it down his length, which was actually more impressive than Sidney's.

I lowered myself down on just the tip of his penis. He groaned, as I teased him, lifting my hips up and down just enough to only envelop the throbbing head of his dick inside me. He was losing it, begging me to fuck him before he couldn't take it anymore.

"Fuck me," he growled, demandingly. And I did. I planted my lips on his as I slowly took him completely inside me, and rode his dick as he moaned, his hands on my hips as my body moved up and down. It felt impossibly good – and I leaned back, bracing myself on his thighs, and fucked him that way so his dick would hit my g-spot. But when I had enough of that, I leaned forward and kissed him fully, taking his bottom lip between my teeth and quickening the pace.

"Yeah… yeah… oh god.." He was practically whimpering, the pleasure building up inside him to the point where he was going to go off the edge. "Charlotte… Charlotte…"

"Charlotte… Charlotte?" All of a sudden the voice coming from his mouth was my mother's, and I opened my eyes to see her standing over me as I laid on my bed, still in my dress and heels I wore traveling.

"Charlotte, are you alright?" She looked concerned and I sat up quickly, my heart pounding.

"Uh yeah, sorry I guess I just fell asleep…"

"Okay, well we're having dinner in a half hour. Tyler's still here so please just behave." My mom was out of my room in seconds after that.

My mind was swirling. I checked my phone and saw that I had two texts from Sid. And the time… I was asleep for hours. But the dream was still fresh in my mind and my stomach churned at the thought of what had happened – my mind had thought was acceptable to basically recreate that night on New Years but in the setting of my own bedroom. But what did that even mean? I had honestly never had a sex dream before, and now this…with Tyler?

_Shit._


	22. Twenty Two

**A/N: Alright, this one's a doozy. I think the story is hitting the half way point and a lot is going on but hang in there, I promise there is a light at the end of the tunnel for Charlotte and Sid. I'll be posting another chapter quickly, picking up right where this one leaves off.**

I couldn't even look at Tyler during dinner, let alone eat. I picked at the creamed spinach and stuffed chicken breast my mom had prepared and felt nauseous, the dream I had just experienced still fresh in my mind. And my family was ridiculous – as usual. They treated Tyler more like their child than they did me. Allison was her usual conceited self, but my parents and Braedon were completely fascinated by Tyler for some reason, and always had been. I would've paid to see the disgusted look on my face as I watched their interactions, but I'm sure no one else was paying attention to it.

After dinner, Tyler finally headed out, giving Allison a ride back into the city. _Like she couldn't drive herself._ But I needed him out of my house and off my radar for a while, so as long as he was gone I could deal with that.

I changed into some comfy clothes and joined my mom in the back room to watch a movie, but we ended up talking through most of it. We couldn't avoid discussing the reason I came home, and I needed some advice from my mom, who I hadn't really talked to one on one since before my move to Pittsburgh. I sat curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket next to her while she spoke.

"You can't be too discouraged about not getting into school. After everything that has happened, maybe it's best you didn't just jump back into it. It would've been more stressful than you'd imagined, and it would tax your relationship with Sidney."

She was right. She wasn't lecturing me – just laying out the facts. And I needed to hear it.

"You two already dance around his busy schedule, but you'd be even busier than he is now if you started med school. It's a blessing in disguise for you two, trust me."

The schedule thing would have definitely been an issue, but now I wouldn't have to worry about that and maybe Sid and I could get more settled if things aren't so up in the air for me. But the Tyler situation was irking me too. They always had Tyler around, and my mom would always wish that he was her son-in-law, like the way things were "supposed" to be. I could see through her ploy about Sidney and I, and though she was giving me sound advice, she didn't offer me nearly as much support as she did when I was with Tyler. I had to just address it, after today, and after a long time coming. It was just getting to be too much, and I couldn't come home without crossing paths with him.

"But you seem to want me to be with Tyler, no matter what happens. And I know you like Sid and everything but he's not part of the family the way Tyler is. He walks around the house like he's more a part of this family than I am and I'm trying to move on from everything still. I can't avoid him when I'm home and… I just hope you guys know that it's over between us." I spoke my piece, venting everything that had been on my chest for a while.

"Sweetie, you know that we can't just get rid of him. He really is a part of this family and will always be a part of your life… you can't run from everything that happened between you two, nor can you run from him, and Pittsburgh won't erase it either. He asked your father if he could marry you… Sidney is a great guy…really. But we were Tyler's family when he was drafted, and he's the brother Braedon never had. He didn't do anything wrong to you when you were together. We just don't want you taking things too fast with Sid, just to see you get hurt and run back to Tyler. It all boils down to whether or not you're in a good place, and that's for you to decide."

I was sort of just confused by her words, but I sat there and listened, taking them in. She was defending Tyler and me at the same time but her sentences were sort of hollow. I knew she wanted me to marry Tyler. I knew he was going to ask me eventually. But I toyed with the diamond necklace that Sidney had given me just a couple months ago and thought long and hard before I really said anything.

"I love Sidney. I loved Tyler, and part of me always will. But Sid is good for me, Mom. Really good. And I want to be with him."

My mom didn't say much after that. Just that my happiness was vital and I couldn't be happy if I did what everyone else told me to do.

We finished our movie and I went back up to my room. I plugged in my phone after sending Sidney a goodnight text. Not having checked the score of the game from earlier, I decided to ask him about it tomorrow. I rolled over and closed my eyes, hoping to drift quickly off to sleep, but my phone vibrated, alerting me of a new text. Confident it was Sid, I ambushed it, only to find it was from Tyler. My pulse quickened a little as the adrenaline involuntarily coursed through my body when I saw his name appear on my lock screen. But I checked the message, curious to see what he had to say.

_11:45 PM_

_I'm sorry about earlier. I wish things weren't awkward and I wouldn't have been there if I knew you were coming home. But I didn't want to leave and make you think that I couldn't be around you and Braedon told me to stay…I don't know. Anyway, do you wanna grab lunch some time this week? I don't know how long you're going to be home for, and I understand if you don't want to. I just wanted to catch up and see how you were doing._

The text was long but he tended to ramble when he was nervous or unsure of something, which was very unlike Sid, who was calculated and well-groomed in his response tactics. I was uncertain of what I should do, but decided responding would be the most civil thing at this point.

_11:48 PM_

_It's okay, sorry if I seemed grumpy. I was just tired. Lunch is fine, I'm home til you guys go to Pittsburgh and don't really have plans til then so just let me know when you're free I guess._

_11:49 PM_

_Is tomorrow too soon?_

* * *

I met Tyler at a small place downtown for lunch after he got out of morning skate. It was in the North End, which was convenient for him, and since he had a game tonight I couldn't really be difficult if he had a tight schedule. I parked at the Garden and walked the few blocks to meet him, my nerves building slightly.

The waiter seated us at the window, where we could overlook the fresh blanket of snow Boston had received over night. It was frigid and the roads were a disaster but there was a certain charm about Boston in the winter that you couldn't find anywhere else.

Sitting across from Tyler was a little uncomfortable. Conversation was flowing a little – we were making small talk and covering the necessary "how have you been"s and the like – but I couldn't escape his gaze, his usual dopey puppy look. I remembered why I had fallen in love with him when our eyes would lock but there was something different about both of us now, and it was obvious to him too I think. Snippets from the dream kept replaying themselves as he spoke and I had to mentally pinch myself a couple of times to remind myself to listen, and pray to god I wasn't blushing.

I sipped at the coffee I shouldn't be drinking, my adrenaline already pumping without caffeine. We had finished our food but decided to sit and talk some more. I asked him about Morgan and he told me honestly that he hasn't seen her or Chelsea since that night at Brad's party. Morgan's futile attempts at trying to have something with Tyler were apparently very quickly shot down, which I couldn't help but smirk about. I was glad I was right about Morgan, knowing she would be nothing without her social advances from me.

"So what did Sid say to you?" I asked, finally getting to where I wanted this conversation to go. His mood quickly shifted and he was visibly uncomfortable at just the mention of Sid's name.

"What do you mean? He asked, though he clearly knew what I meant. After finding out Sidney was the one that started the fight in that game, I had made a point to make sure Tyler was alright and to get his side of the story, but the opportunity had never really presented itself until now. I knew Tyler was protective and certainly didn't like to be messed with, but I couldn't blame him for what he did to Sid.

"The fight. What did he say to you that made you snap? I know you don't lose your temper often." He half-smiled at that comment, and a wave of guilt washed over me as I remembered the times Tyler was so patient with me, especially when he had the right to lose it sometimes. I had made his life hell but he really was a good guy when it came down to it.

"It's not important, but he got what he deserved." He was being evasive for a reason and I was frustrated that neither of them would budge on the subject. But if Tyler wouldn't tell me, then it was actually probably pretty bad. I knew he caved into me, and though he looked like he wanted to speak, it would take a lot more to open him up.

"Were you okay though? I can't even tell you what was running through my mind…" The thought of them dropping the gloves was my nightmare incarnated on the Garden ice.

"Yeah, I think I got him much worse than he got me."

I didn't know if that was a relief or not.

"That's good, I mean that you weren't hurt too bad. But what did he say to you? Please just tell me, I can handle it."

He looked down at his glass of water and spun the ice around with his straw.

"Do you really want to know?" He sighed, knowing he really shouldn't tell me.

"Yes. I really want to know."

He licked his lips quickly, and bit down on his lower lip as he tried to figure out exactly what to say.

"He said…He said, 'Good thing your kid died, or I'd never have gotten to slam Charlotte,' or something like that."

The blood drained from my face and my mouth went dry. Palms sweaty, I clenched my fists under the table so the people around us wouldn't see my world crumble.

"Are you embellishing or did he really pull that card?" I kept my voice low but I was ready to explode, and Tyler's apologetic expression signaled he clearly regretted telling me. And he probably shouldn't have told me, and I shouldn't have pressed the issue. Because now… now I could kill Sid.

"Charlie, look…I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have said anything, but he definitely said that, and I beat the shit out of him for it."

Thinking back to the way Sid had looked after the fight, I wished there was more damage done. I thought I loved Sid, and I thought he loved me enough to know that was a subject to never touch. And to bring it out on the ice and use that as a tactic to catch a quick gain in the game? Are you fucking kidding me? Now my anger was manifesting itself in the form of thick tears trying to push through the corners of my eyes.

The waiter walked by and Tyler caught his attention, just handing him his American Express and he took care of the bill quickly so we could get out of the public eye.

We left the restaurant and Tyler walked back with me to the Garden. I trudged through the brown, slushy snow that covered the sidewalks to get to the building, my legs moving so fast that Tyler had to try to keep up, though his lower limbs were much longer than mine. I kept my hands stuffed in the pockets of my pea coat, my right one with a death grip on my iPhone.

We approached the parking lot on the side of the Garden and fans had gathered along the gate to get a glimpse at some of the players coming and going. As they came into view, Tyler put his hand on the small of my back and we stopped. _No, keep walking. I'm gonna lose it if I look at you_.

"We can go in a different way, I don't have to sign." He was being too nice and trying to stay with me as I continued on my mission to find a quiet spot in the rink where I could call Sid.

"It's fine, you go sign and I'll just go in through the North Station entrance. They've been waiting outside all day." I tried to avoid his eyes, knowing they were locked on me. But he gave me such a parenting look, eyes raised. "I'll be okay." I said that more for myself than him.

"Alright. I'm going to work out downstairs for a while but if you need anything, just come find me. I'm sorry, Charlie."

It killed me when he called me Charlie. But we separated before the fans caught sight of us down the block and I headed in the side entrance of the venue, hiking the unmoving escalator past the security guards, who nodded at me as they recognized me. I wandered until I decided to just sit in the stands, and I kept going up and up until I hit the balcony, and made myself comfortable in one of the middle sections at the rail before giving Sid a call.

It rang twice before he picked up. I hadn't planned what I was going to say, nor would whatever came out of my mouth be rational.

"Hey babe," he said, his perfect voice curdling in my ears. I hadn't heard it since before we left and now it was so tainted.

"Hi," I said curtly, not wanting to waste time with pet names.

"What's up?" he asked, a concerned tone in full effect.

"I really hope you didn't tell Tyler that my baby died."

The line was silent for a moment.

"Did you?"

Nothing.

"Sid I'm asking you a question." I was so done. I had gone from in love to attack mode.

"Char, I didn't mean that… I was just trying to get him riled up." He sounded defeated and he knew he was clearly in the wrong here.

"Are you kidding me? Wow, you didn't even at least try to deny it. I thought you loved me more than that, Sid. I really did."

"Where is this even coming from?" he asked, knowing I had only been home for barely a day.

"It doesn't matter. I'm coming back to Pittsburgh so I can get my things. I'm moving back here, I'm done."

"Are you serious? Charlotte, don't be rash. That fight is old news and you're just going to give up like that?" He was trying to keep his voice low, probably because he was in the company of others and trying to duck out from under their attention.

"I'm not giving up, Sid. I'm coming home because I'm more than hurt right now, and I can't believe you would even say something like that to Tyler and one, expect to not get your ass handed to you, and two, think I wouldn't eventually find out. For someone so perfect, you really fucked up."

"So that's it? We're done? Come on, just calm down and we can talk about this later when you've settled down." He made the mistake of telling an upset girl to calm down, which worked about as well as trying to give your cat a bath. But he knew me and knew that I was acting on impulse.

"I don't know. I can't do this right now though. I love you, I just…" The tears were coming, and while I had been able to push them back before, there was no use this time. "I just can't be with someone who would crack a joke about my stillborn child on my home ice. Low fucking blow, Sid."

"I'm sorry, Charlotte. Really. Let's talk about this when we get home…to Pittsburgh. I have to run. I love you, so much."

"Bye."

I put my face in my hands and hunched over, not sure what to feel or even what to do. So I sat there sobbing, elbows propped up on my knees. I thought moving to Pittsburgh was a good choice – I thought I'd be able to start over in a way, and be a full time student with a star boyfriend and live happily ever after in the steel city. But that fairytale quickly crumbled, as the man I loved turned into someone I could stand to never look at again, at least right now. How could he have said something like that? After everything I had been through, everything that had completely broken me over the last year… You'd think he'd have the decency to keep his mouth shut. I knew I'd have to come home. I couldn't be in Pittsburgh and just tough it out – I had no business there. I was heartbroken that I had stayed there all that time while he kept that from me, and that I thought we were actually going somewhere with this relationship.

I got a text, and flipped my phone over in my lap to see who it was from. Relieved it wasn't Sid, I opened it.

_1:23 PM_

_Please don't cry._

I looked down and didn't even realize Tyler was standing out on center ice in his Under-Armour-sponsored workout outfit, looking up to the corner where I sat in the balcony with nothing but my emotions. I stood up and did the only thing I could think to do right now. I tried to wipe at the moisture under my eyes, making sure my makeup hadn't run in dark rivers down my cheeks, and made my way down to the tunnel and onto the ice. He walked towards me, slowly so his sneakers wouldn't catch the smooth ice the wrong way, and I threw my arms around him. His strong arms caged me and held me close to him while I cried into his sturdy chest.

"Shh, don't cry. It's okay."

"It's not okay. I hate him," I sniffled.

"You don't hate him. You love him, I know you do. And it might not be okay now, but it will be. Everything is always okay in the end." His voice was smooth and the warmth of his body kept the chill of the ice from nipping at me too hard.

I sighed and pulled away, overwhelmed by the events of the last hour. He was right, and while I knew it was hard for him to talk about Sid and me, he knew what to say. I did love Sid. I _do_ love Sid. But right now he felt like a stranger; like I had never really known him at all, if I didn't know he was capable of saying something like that.

"I love him, I just…"

Tyler put his hands on my upper arms, and looked me square in the eye.

"Come home."

The two most simple, most powerful words he could have said. While I had planned to, it was just all so surreal, but standing here at center ice at the Garden with one of the loves of my life standing in front of me, confirmed that this was what I needed right now.

I looked back at him, and just nodded.


	23. Twenty Three

**A/N: Thanks for hanging in there guys, these chapters aren't easy to write and not everything could be perfect between Sid and Charlotte. I know everything is out of character for Sid but its hard trying to think of a way he could screw something up haha, and both of their stubbornness gets the best of them sometimes so I hope I conveyed that. But your reviews are great as always! Let me know what you're all thinking is going to happen while Charlotte is home, I want to hear some of your ideas!**

Thursday came too quickly after an awfully eventful and dramatic week, and I had ignored Sid's texts until I got back to Pittsburgh in the early morning after I took the first flight from Boston. I hadn't seen Tyler since the day we went to lunch because the Bruins left on a quick road trip but he said he would help me move my things out after the game against the Penguins since he had a day off, which was nice of him to offer.

I got back to my apartment and it was just eerie. My cats were alive thanks to Lindsey, but I would have to tell her everything and say goodbye to her quickly because I was planning on being moved out by tomorrow. I took a seat on the couch before I even attempted to start packing things up. I couldn't deny the tears forming – I had a right to be upset. But Sid's caller ID picture, a picture of the two of us from the night at the orchestra, popped up on my phone. I wanted to ignore it, but knew that wasn't really a viable option.

"Hello?"

"Hi… are you back?" He sounded horrible.

"Yeah, I'm back."

"Can we please talk about everything?"

"I guess."

Ten minutes later he was knocking at my front door. He must've just been at the Consol. I had tried to think of all we could talk about but my mind was on overdrive and nothing really made much sense. He was dressed in his warmups and a backwards hat, his face tired.

We sat in the living room on opposite pieces of furniture, the air between us thick with the tension of the situation.

"I'm sorry, Charlotte. I shouldn't have said what I did to Seguin. You were never supposed to know that. But the fight happened a while ago, and he gave me what I deserved. I don't think you should just pick up and leave because of it."

"But why should I stay? I have nothing here for me anymore. I didn't get into school, I don't have a job, and now this. I thought I had you but clearly your head is too big and I can't be with someone who is going to use my issues as a crutch during a game of all things. Like what were you even thinking?" I was just so frustrated. I didn't want to leave him. I loved him for christ's sake. But I was so damn mad at him. It just wasn't the Sidney I knew that would do something like that. I don't think anyone had ever seen that side of him…

"I wasn't thinking. I get cocky sometimes and I don't even know why I said those things. But please don't go. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone and I couldn't live with myself if you went back to Boston. We're so good together, Charlotte. We have something that other couples don't, and I can't put my finger on it but you know what I'm talking about."

Cocky was an understatement sometimes and I knew how he could be. He had to be full of himself on occasion so people would take him seriously, because there's the sweet, soft, caring side of Sid, and then there's the side of Sid that only cares about winning, and will do whatever it takes to let people know that he's the best at what he does. And while it's not in his character to be so malicious, I understood what it was like to need to get under someone's skin. When he "reminded Tyler what he had and Tyler didn't," he neglected to mention that he brought up what I didn't have, either, but I guess that was his way of protecting me from the uglier side of him that I never wished to see, or hear about again.

"I already canceled my lease, Sid. I paid my year's rent in full so I could get out of my contract. I have to go home." I didn't want to sound so harsh when I said it but it wasn't like I couldn't avoid it if I was going to start packing as soon as he left. My dad talked to the landlord and through some check-writing and negotiation, was able to get me out of the lease.

"Oh…" He was breaking. I could hear it in his voice and this was all just killing me.

"Sid, I don't want to break up with you. I really don't. I just… I need to go home."

"Can we work this out though? I really don't want to lose you." He was getting desperate and the sound of both of our hearts breaking should have been deafening.

"I don't know," I said. "We'll see."

Sid had to get going back to the Consol for a team meeting before they took the ice for morning skate, but I could tell that it would've taken the jaws of life to get him to leave if it wasn't for his team.

* * *

After he left, I started getting my apartment packed up. It was a good thing I didn't have any furniture to take with me, or it would've made the moving situation ten times more difficult. I really just had my clothes and kitchen things with me. But by the time the Penguins and Bruins game was over, which I had neglected to watch for fear that it would be a pure blood bath, I had most of my things packed up and ready to go.

I had a lot of time to do some much-needed thinking over the course of the day. And the truth was, though I was homesick and angry as all hell, I didn't want to leave Sid. I didn't want to break up with him when it came down to it. But I had been impulsive and acted on my emotions once again and that never ended well. I was regretting my spontaneity, knowing that I never really gave Sid a fair chance when he has been so patient with me, and that I was too quick to leave people once they had done me wrong. I had done it my whole life, and hadn't learned how to give people the fighting chance they deserved. Which was why I felt literally alone, having walked away from my ex boyfriend and friends in Boston, and now Sid. But my stubbornness almost exceeded my impulsiveness and once I had made the decision to leave, no matter how badly I wished I could just stay, I would have to go.

I sat down on my couch for maybe the last time, exhausted from the long day of organizing the belongings that I thought I had finally found a home for, and clicked on the TV. Suddenly, I just started bawling, the emotions of the last week catching up with me too quickly. I felt very, very alone, and betrayed by someone I thought I could trust with my life. I felt like nothing ever went my way, no matter how hard I tried to make everything work and everyone around me happy.

Of course the last thing I had watched before I went to Boston was ROOT, and naturally it would still be on the screen. I didn't catch who won, maybe because I wasn't really paying attention through the waterfall emerging from my eyes or because the announcers were too busy talking about the fact that Sidney, who was supposed to be addressing the press in a post-game interview in the locker room, was apparently MIA.

That would explain the banging that had just erupted on my door.

I got up, blanket wrapped around me, and approached it. Knowing Sidney was almost 99% positively standing on the other side of it, I inhaled deeply, not ready to face him again, and knowing I was wrong for being so rash. He was a dick, that was for sure. But I wasn't being much better and none of this was constructive, especially since we both wanted to be with each other. I undid the lock and opened it slowly, finding Sid still dripping sweat from the game, in his Reebok base layers and wind pants he had clearly just thrown on.

Still crying, I didn't move from the door.

"I'm not letting you leave." He was out of breath and bracing himself against both sides of the doorframe, barricading it with his sturdy body. _Jeeze, did he run here?_

"Sid…" My tears flowed and he was making this extremely difficult. There was no use in trying to close the door on him – he was much stronger and bigger than I was and I didn't really want him to leave.

"Go home. Do what you need to do, but come back. Move in with me… live with me. We can take a break while I'm at the height of the season and you can be in Boston with your family and figure out what you want to do next in your life. But come back and we'll work on things. I know damn well that this isn't what you want…I know you a lot better than you think I do. And you're fucking crazy if you think you can just walk away from me."

I laughed a little between sobs, admiring his determination to keep me.

"I love you, Charlotte. I love you more than anything in the world. And I'm not letting your stubborn ass walk out this door before you agree to giving us a chance. You know that I would do anything for you, and I didn't mean what I said to Seguin at all. I just said it to piss him off…and you know he doesn't drop the gloves. Ever. And neither do I really… but I was the one guy who knew enough to provoke him and I took it way too far…I'm sorry and I know I really deserve you acting this way towards me, but I love you. So please, please come back."

I stood there for a while, absorbing everything. He smelled like his gear and fresh sweat, and honestly it was intoxicating for some reason. His hair was in curly wisps around his face, dripping with the energy he expelled during the game, and those eyes – those puppy brown eyes. What he had said was right. I knew he wouldn't intentionally try to hurt me like that, and I understood that guys can take it too far on the ice. Talk about every fight ever in hockey. I understood that there are bumps in every road, and this was the first pothole in ours.

But I looked at him. Standing there in the door, after abandoning the press following an important game, and trying as hard as he possibly could to keep me here. And it clicked. I couldn't be without him for the rest of my life. I wasn't about to leave him over the whole situation with Tyler. What good would that have done? I'd go home and be miserable and probably run back to Ty and repeat the cycle all over again? Sid and I were meant to be together but I had a lot to take care of with myself first. So going home made the most sense right now. And as I took in this beautiful being before me, the wave of forgiveness I had been waiting for finally washed over me, and he no longer seemed so menacing.

"Are you gonna kiss me or not?" I finally said.

So tonight, I would give into him. No matter my warpath, I had surrendered to the man I loved. I didn't need to be so stubborn and impulsive and irrational. And while he deserved the way I treated him, Tyler had also taken care of it when he dropped his gloves. So I agreed – we would take a break. But I would come back to Pittsburgh after I had a clear head and collected myself before jumping back into a full-fledged relationship with Sid. I was glad that he had put up a fight for me, because I was definitely regretting my decision to leave him. That was the major difference about Sid and Tyler – while Tyler had literally fought Sid for me, he never really _fought_ for me. He never gave me a reason to stay with him after everything that had happened. And yes, I loved Tyler. Everyone has that one person that they experience things with that will never be undone. But Sidney proved himself worthy of my rarely-granted second chances. I am so madly in love with him, and I guess it took having our snow globe of a life shattered for me to realize that he wasn't some flawless demigod sent to save Pittsburgh and the NHL. He was a guy. And guys do stupid shit, especially when there's competition involved.

Boston would do me good for a while, but when I was ready, Sid could do me better.

* * *

Tyler, still high on his game-winning shootout goal from last night, came to help me finish pack in the morning. I guess Boston had won, as he kept reminding me, and the pompous asshole side of Tyler was always around after a good win, especially if it was on his shoulders.

Space bags had compressed my clothes enough so they could fit in the trunk of my Audi with plenty of room to spare, but Tyler complained every time I handed him another thing to carry down to the parking garage. "Another box of shoes?" he would say, or "How many pillows do you need?" And with half of my belongings in the hallway, we were causing a slight commotion, prompting Lindsey to emerge from her room between a trip to the car.

"Oh wow, are you moving out?" Lindsey was shocked to see us moving things about. I had completely neglected to tell her that I was going home but with everything that needed to get done and Sidney's impromptu arrival last night, I just didn't think there was a good time until I guess… now. Tyler set his arm load of things down and stayed close behind me as I approached her. "And you… you're Tyler…?" She made the connection quickly, having heard practically my entire life story throughout our multiple venting sessions we had both shared, and he nodded before holding out his hand to introduce himself.

"Yeah, it's all very last minute…I'll fill you in soon but don't worry, I'll be back to visit all the time." I promised. I didn't want to say that I'd be moving back eventually because I hadn't filled Tyler in on what was going on with the Sid situation. I figured I should save that for the road trip while I still had his manpower to put to good use.

"To visit? I didn't realize you were going back to Boston. Shit… Well I won't hold you up. I better hear from you though, and soon," she threatened, and I smiled, getting a little teary as I hugged her. She was my only friend here really and I had so much to thank her for but I would be back and we could resume that friendship eventually.

We were on the road around 11. Tyler insisted on driving and I gave in, handing him my key. He had never driven through this part of the country and I didn't mind sitting back and relaxing. And I really didn't mind his company - I actually appreciated it. He was pleasant to be around today and he was still the goofy, high-energy, dog-like twenty-year-old boy I had become fast friends with just a couple years ago. As he drove, listening to my co-piloted directions from the GPS, he sang along (horribly) to the radio, and cracked jokes and caught me up on everything that was going on with the team. Brittany Lucic was about to pop, her little fighter ready to come into the world, and his friends Brandon and Freddy moved in with him and his not-so-little-anymore puppy Marshall. Marchand was still his usual self, and rookie Dougie Hamilton was taking advice on the ladies from him apparently. I rolled my eyes, feeling bad that Dougie's apprenticeship with Marchand on the women front would not bode well, but Tyler insisted that it was going alright. It made me homesick for the team just hearing about them. I had grown up with the Bruins, and watched the team evolve over the seasons into the powerhouse that it is now. It would be good to see the guys and hopefully working on having a friendship with Tyler would mean that my friendship with his teammates would be improved as well.

It wasn't until we hit Connecticut that I felt like really talking about everything. It was the last leg of the trip, and if things were going to turn sour then we wouldn't have to be in the car together much longer.

"I'm so excited to get home," I started, easing into the conversation.

"It'll be good to have you back. Everyone misses you. It sucks not seeing you around." I knew that was hard for him to admit but it was harder for me to hear. My family meant the most to me and we hadn't been so close lately, partially because of my move and the business of everyone's schedules. It was stressful and getting back to spend time with them would be what I needed. I was jealous that Tyler got to see them all the time. They were his home away from home, his second family, and I was a stranger in my own house half the time.

"Yeah, definitely. I miss everyone too," I said, about to take a plunge into the conversation I wanted to have. "Listen…so Sid and I did a lot of talking. And I want to put this out there so it's just out on the table and you know and don't have to ask. We decided that we're really just going to take a break. I don't know when we'll fix everything but Boston, as of now, is temporary while I figure myself out. I think you and I need to be friends before either of us can be with someone, and those are my priorities right now."

He had a death grip on the steering wheel, knuckles white, but for only a split second. He softened his grip once he processed what I was actually saying. He probably wanted to be with me, as always, and figured that since Sid and I were done, it would be his chance to make things right with me and start over. But he realized that a friendship was more important than a relationship tenfold and I had a lot of things to figure out. And if starting over meant working backwards and being friends again, then so be it. I saw the shift in his expression and he relaxed.

"If that's what you want. At least you'll just be home and you can do what you need to do. A lot happened back home and that'll never leave you… or me. All that matters is that you're doing what makes you happy, and you know I've got your back. Fuck the rest."

His words were simple but accurate and I was glad that he wasn't going to fight me about this. I think what had made being around him so hard for a long time was that we didn't know where we stood.

"Friends?" I asked, confirming our stance.

"Friends." His smile was weak but he was still smiling.

Friends was good enough. Maybe it wasn't perfect and maybe things should've been different but everything happened the way it was supposed to, and we could work on it before I left again.

* * *

We got to Wellesley around midnight, after hitting some traffic and stopping for gas along the way. I offered to let Tyler stay at my parents house for the night instead of having to drive all the way into the city and back, and my dad could drive him into town when he headed to the Garden tomorrow. He accepted and we left my stuff in the car while we quietly entered the house. We headed upstairs, and I opened Braedon's door to see if he had come home for a night, but upon finding it empty, I let Tyler sleep there.

"Hey…" he said as I turned to head to my room.

"Yeah?" I whispered, though the house was big enough that my parents wouldn't hear us from 5 rooms away.

"I'm glad you're home."

I couldn't stress enough how happy I was to be home. I knew leaving Boston had hurt a lot of people and making things right with my family and Tyler was all I wanted to focus on for now. I smiled toothlessly and hugged him, appreciating his cooperativeness through everything.

"Me too," I said. "Thanks for helping me move out and everything, I didn't want to have to ask Sid or anyone and it would've been too much by myself…"

He gave me a squeezed and then ruffled my hair, as he had done too many times.

"Get to bed, kid." He didn't really respond to my last comment, but I knew he liked that I thanked him.

"Kid? You're only 20, if I remember correctly," I smirked.

"Goodnight," he said, and I echoed the word before I turned to head to my room.


	24. Twenty Four

**A/N: Sorry for the delay on this one, it took three weeks to write because real life keeps getting in the way and school is just not very fun right now. I'm going to skip ahead after this chapter and keep things more up to date with current events in the real world so we'll see how that goes. **

**Also, I just wanted to say that I hope if any of you have family or friends in Boston, you've contacted them and they're safe. Boston is my home city, and though I love the Penguins, the Bruins are my team. If you don't have a connection to Boston, at least keep our beautiful city in your thoughts. **

I went back to Pittsburgh the day after Christmas.

It had been impossible being in Boston and as the days went on, I realized what an absolute mistake I had made. What did I think being home would do? The situation with Tyler wouldn't change, my family wouldn't change, and I would only miss Sid more and more as each day passed.

* * *

A few days before Christmas, Allison, who had barely spoken to me since I had gotten home, called me up to ask if she could do away with the contents of the locked room upstairs in the Cambridge brownstone. Livid that she wanted to turn it into a 'studio,' I called Tyler, who had been evasive after I refused to kiss him at a party we went to at Dougie's Hamilton's place in Beacon Hill.

"Hello?" he asked, picking up the phone and clearly aggravated that I was calling him.

"Hi… listen, Allison wants us to clear out the room." I didn't really know what to say.

"The room?" he asked, unsure of what I was talking about.

"The baby's room…" I answered, and the line went silent for a minute.

"When?" he finally said, sounding suddenly somber.

"The sooner the better. I tried to fight her on it but she said if we don't do it then she'll clean it out herself. She wants to turn it into some fashion studio or something, I don't know. Do you have time before the game tonight?" I just wanted to get it over with. If this was going to be as traumatic as I thought it would be, then it needed to get done today or I wouldn't be able to bring myself to do it.

"Um.. yeah I guess. I can meet you there around 2."

Our conversation ended there and took my dad's F150 that we called Beast. I grabbed some tools before I left and made a few stops for boxes and drove into the city, fists clenched around the steering wheel as I drove through nightmarish Saturday traffic. My sister could be a bitch but this was something else, and of course she had informed me that she would be out shopping while Tyler and I 'took care of things.'

I met him at the brownstone, which I hadn't been back to since I moved to Pittsburgh, and found the spare key in its usual hidden spot. Tyler wasn't much for words today so I didn't really bother trying to talk to him until we got upstairs. I had the key to the room with my car key and looked at Tyler before turning the knob on the door.

"You're gonna have to open it, Charlie."

I didn't want to, at all. But I twisted the unlocked knob and pushed the door open, taking in the sight of a room I hadn't seen in half a year. It still smelled like paint, the light yellow color of the walls oddly cheery. Memories flooded back to me, like they had been locked away in this room too. Tyler had chosen to paint the room on the most impossibly hot May afternoon and I sat lazily on the couch downstairs, letting him do all the work. We tried to get everything set up before we took off to Maine for the summer, thinking it would be nice to have the nursery done and not have to worry about it when we got back from the lake house.

But we really shot ourselves in the foot with that one.

A white crib stood to the right, all made up with blankets and stuffed animals. A matching dresser and changing table sat opposite to it, and a rocking chair sat forgotten in the back left corner beside the window. We never got around to putting the carpeting in, and the floorboards stiffly creaked beneath my feet as I took the first step in.

I couldn't hold my tears back, and immediately lost it, trying to keep my back to Tyler so he wouldn't see me coming undone. But it was no use, and though he was mad at me and I was frustrated with him, he wrapped his arms around me. He didn't say anything, which was refreshing, and we both stood there, barely in the door. I pulled away and wiped at my eyes, and noticed that his were red and moist with these horrible, forgotten emotions as well.

"Let's get this packed up," he said, switching gears and trying to busy himself so he wouldn't look too vulnerable around me.

I went down to my dad's truck and grabbed the plastic totes and boxes the tools I had loaded up and brought them back upstairs. Tyler got to work disassembling the furniture while I packed up the toys and clothes and other things in the room. It was silent as we went about, and though I had mostly calmed down, I couldn't help but cry every now and then.

A picture of Tyler and I sat on the dresser, framed from a much simpler time, and looking at it made something inside me realize that I needed to be with Sid, and that I needed to get back to Pittsburgh as soon as I could. I had made such a mistake coming home. How could I expect Sid to even bother to wait around for me? I should've seen this disaster with Tyler 700 miles away, knowing that while he played the whole supportive friend role well for a day or two, he wants what he wants and what he wants is me. And he can't have me no matter how hard he tries. When we were at Dougie's, everything was fine for a while. I had finally started hanging out with the guys again, and while the apartment was full of people, Tyler didn't really seem to branch away from me. I stepped out on the balcony with my drink, taking in the frigid December air with my alcohol blanket keeping me from freezing, and a few minutes later heard the door slide behind me.

Tyler played his best argument that night – that we had so much history together and that he loved me, and everything we had been through was much more significant than what Sid and I dealt with. He drunkenly tried to kiss me before I could even get him to stop talking, but I was quick to be evasive and he stormed off, knowing that he would never win me back again. When I told him I wanted to be friends, I thought he was serious about wanting that too. He disappeared from the party at one point after that and I got a little worried, thinking he had gone off and done something stupid. But I found him in one of Dougie's bathrooms, throwing up everything he had in his stomach. He refused to let me in at first but he was too drunk to fight it and I just wanted to make sure he wasn't dying.

"What the hell do you want," he asked, hugging the toilet.

"Why are you this drunk?" I asked, looking down at the pitiful boy I once loved.

"I'm not." He was just being difficult.

"Tyler Paul Seguin, why the fuck are you this drunk?" I repeated, getting aggravated. He was making an ass out of himself and now getting sick at the party. I had seen him taking shots in the kitchen but continued my conversations with people with him in the corner of my eye, knowing that he had already had too many to begin with.

"Because of you," he grumbled, and I made the executive decision that it was time to get Tyler home. I called a cab from the bathroom and cleaned him up a bit while we waited for it to show up. He really was making an ass out of himself, and the cab couldn't have come soon enough. I put my arm around Tyler's waist to support him because I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was blacking, and waved to Dougie on the way out. He had a look on his face signaling that he understood, and I got Tyler back to his place as quickly as possible, getting him showered and changed and into bed before he passed out in his own puke somewhere.

And now we were here, doing something that should've been done months ago, in unbearably awkward silence.

We both knew that this was it. As soon as we cleaned out this room we were done with each other. I wanted the best for Tyler and I knew that waiting around for me was the worst thing that he could be doing, and I hoped that this was the closure that would do that for him.

We got everything loaded into Dad's truck and I opened up the driver's side door.

"So, you're going back now right?" he asked, leaning against the side of the bed of the truck. He knew me too well, and while that bothered me sometimes, his spot on question was just confirmation for me.

"Yeah, I don't have anything here for me now." I was bitter but I had something better waiting for me in Pittsburgh.

"Your family is here, you know."

Was he going to try to guilt trip me now? I had actually made things right with my mom since I had been home and while things with my sister were still rocky, they were never perfect in the first place, and she didn't have any interest in being my sister these days anyway.

"And Sid is in Pittsburgh. Look, Ty… you can't wait around for me. I'm not coming back like this again as far as I know. Thanks for helping me clean out the room and everything…good luck tonight."

I didn't know how else to leave it. I got up behind the wheel and Tyler didn't move, even when I started the engine. I rolled the window down, prepared to yell at him, but he walked over to me.

"Home is where your family is. We were gonna have one of those, remember? So good luck to you too. I won't be here when you come running back with your tail between your legs."

"I never asked you to."

"You didn't have to."

I rolled up the window and took off, not able to think of anything to possibly say to Tyler. It was done. We were completely over and while I thought we could be friends, I don't know who I was kidding. I got the closure I needed, and now I was more anxious than ever to get back to Sid.

* * *

I called Sidney Christmas night, after my family started to wind down from presents and a giant feast my mom had made. They parked themselves on the couch in front of a movie while I went upstairs with my phone for some privacy.

It rang a few times before he picked up, and I half expected him not to answer. I knew his family was visiting for a couple of days from the brief conversations we had had while I was home so I figured he'd be busy, but luckily he wasn't.

"Hey," he said, his voice cheery.

"Merry Christmas," I wished him, laying down on my bed.

"You too. How's your day going?" He sounded relaxed and I pictured the scene in his house as not much different than mine at this point.

"It's good, I'm exhausted though. How's your family?"

"They're good, crashed in the living room right now." I was right about them being just like us right now, and I could hear them ask in the background if it was me on the phone. He hollered back at them, meaning he must've been in the kitchen or something, and I smiled. "They say hi," he said after talking to them.

"Tell them I said hi too."

He yelled back at them that I said Merry Christmas from Boston and they left him alone after that.

"Sorry about that, they were hoping you'd be here but I told them you had to go home for the holiday…"

Oh, he must not have told them about our 'break.' Which meant that he didn't tell Sports Illustrated not to run the article where he talked about our relationship. Even though it wasn't out yet, if he had any doubt that we wouldn't get back together, he would've had someone get in contact with them immediately.

"Gotchya. Listen…I'm ready to work on things…"

"Yeah?" He sounded hopeful, and that was a good sign.

"Yeah, I miss you so much. I don't know what I was thinking coming back here…"

"It's okay. I miss you too. Do you still want to um… the living situation…" he was trying to be quiet, and I figured he hadn't told his parents about asking me to move in either.

"If that's okay," I said, loving the idea of moving my things into Sid's big house. He did a good job making it homey but it was too big for just one person, and since it wasn't completely finished yet as far as decorating went, I figured we could make it our own space.

"Yeah of course, I want you to. I don't want you to feel like you have to though, I was a little panicked when I made the offer," he laughed a little, remembering the night he ran from his game to my place, trying his hardest not to let me leave.

"I want to, really bad."

"Good. When are you coming back?"

"If I could get in the car tonight and drive, I would." I dreamt of doing it, just taking off. I had already talked to my parents about leaving in the next couple days and they knew it was coming eventually, so it probably wouldn't have been a huge deal. But I had to gather what I was going to take with me and figure out exactly how I was going to get there.

"How about tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow sounds good."

* * *

After a whirlwind of packing up mostly just clothes and a few personal things, my dad decided to let me take the truck instead of my Audi. Sid had nice luxury cars anyway and a truck was more practical for moving my things. My dad drove it rarely anyway so I wouldn't have to worry about getting it back any time soon.

With my things loaded up, I drove the truck back to Pittsburgh after saying goodbye to my family again. They were understanding and really just wanted what was best for me, which clearly wasn't in Boston right now. The long drive was nice and I was able to focus on my destination.

I got within a half hour of Sid's and gave him a call, letting him know I was close. I had texted him along the way when I stopped for gas but I was anxious to hear his voice.

"Hey, I'm just passing by the city now. I'll be there soon," I said, after he greeted me on the other line.

"Okay… I had to tell my parents you were moving in because they decided not to go back home until Friday…so I'm sorry if they bombard you with their excitement." He sounded almost embarrassed by his family, which was adorable in its own hilarious way. They really did like me, and they were happy that their son had found someone that he really cared about. I felt guilty about leaving Sid for the few weeks that I did, and missing our trip to Florida we had been looking forward to. But things would be set right now, and that was all that mattered.

"Haha, that's fine. I'll see you guys soon."

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too babe."

I pulled up to Sid's and parked, not worrying about my things. The trim of the house was lined with large white bulbs, and the yard and roof were blanketed with a thin layer of snow that made the secluded house look more inviting. I got to the door, and unsure of whether I should knock or not, I figured it was probably within my jurisdiction to just walk in, seeing as this was my house too now. Sid's family was in the living room, his dad reading a book and his mom and sister watching a movie. They all turned around when they heard me come in, and stood up to greet me. Sid came in from the kitchen after hearing the commotion, and I greeted everyone with smiles and hugs. I got to Sid last, and he gave me a good squeeze, kissing my forehead. I knew he was trying not to be obvious about how much he had missed me, and I understood that. His family didn't know that we had taken a break for almost a month, but it didn't matter now and they didn't need to know.

We spent the rest of the night all catching up. His family decided to stay for the game tomorrow night, and invited me to sit in their box with them as they did last time. Of course I accepted, figuring the more time I spent with them the better. They really were great to me too, and I wanted to get to know them more since they were such a huge part of Sid's life.

Around 11:30 they decided to go to bed, and Sid and I waited for everyone to get settled in their rooms to go upstairs ourselves. But we headed up, and as soon as he closed the door to his bedroom, he had me in his arms.

"You're not doing that to me again, right?" He asked, meaning leaving him.

"Not if I have any say in it," I said, and he pressed his lips to mine, completely intoxicating me. I was still mortified with myself that I had even considered going home as an option. Running away was my specialty, and I hated myself for doing that to Sid. But I was beyond relieved that nothing about him had changed – that he still wanted me after the hell I seemed to always put him through.

"Good. Now I think we have some catching up to do ourselves," he said, his grin turning devilish.

"Oh yeah?" I played, reaching behind him to lock the door.

He scooped me up and put me down on the bed, and climbed on top of me. His kiss was better than I remembered, and I couldn't get enough of him after being away from him for so long. I tugged his white t-shirt over his head and let my hands wander over the solid muscles that sculpted his frame, his warmth radiating through my fingertips. It wasn't fair how amazing he felt, and he pulled my sweater off to expose my skin to the cool air of the room. My leggings were next and so were his pants, and the collected in a heap on the floor. I could see that he was already hard and ready, and his fingers pinched the clasp of my lacey bra with such expertise I barely noticed that my chest was fully exposed. His lips were wet as they explored my skin, and soon our bodies were getting very reacquainted with each other.

* * *

Sid had snuck out before anyone was awake, but he was busy with morning skate, game day meetings, and other things in the city, so while he was out his family gladly helped me move my things in from the truck. I didn't really have a ton, and we moved one of the dressers from a guest room up to Sid's room to accommodate the ridiculous amount of clothes I owned. I could finish organizing most of my things later after they had left, but I really appreciated them helping to get things inside before the snow that was predicted to hit decided to arrive.

Before we knew it, game time was quickly approaching. Mario Lemieux and his wife Nathalie called Trina in the afternoon to finalize some dinner plans that they had been working on and when they heard I was back in town, they were eager to include me, which was humbling. We got ready and met the Lemieuxs in the city, where we enjoyed a fantastic private dinner at Monterey Bay Fish Grotto. It wasn't overly fancy and I didn't feel uncomfortable at all while there, which was more than I could have asked for. But the Lemieux were extremely pleasant. I had watched a game with them the last time the Crosbys were in town and they had no problem talking my ear off, trying to get to know me better, and I had hoped they saw what Sid saw in me. I knew how important this family was to Sid and I wanted nothing more than to impress them, and prove to them that I was deserving of Sid's love… even though I probably wasn't right now. We sipped at our wine and Taylor stole a sip of her mother's, frustrated that she couldn't drink in the adult setting, and ate well before having to take off to the Consol.

The game was intense and in the second period, the Penguins fell behind the Panthers and it only got uglier from there. The Penguins had dominated them about a week ago when they took the trip down to Florida, but it seemed that the opposing team had learned a few things since then. The box was tense, and Sid's frustration on the ice was starting to show. Defensively, the Penguins were struggling to match Florida's offense and a goalie change was necessary, allowing Vokoun a rest and Fleury the chance to save the game for the team. But his efforts weren't enough and the Panthers took the game, leaving the Penguins defeated on their own ice. The air about the box we were in was electric as we expected the team to regain control of the game but as it ended, there wasn't much we could do but part ways with the Lemieuxs and head back to Sewickley to meet Sid at the house.

We didn't arrive much sooner at the house before he did and he was surprisingly cheerful for having lost 5-2 to a team not even on the playoff projections. He made himself a sandwich and while he did that his family didn't probe about the game or suggest what he should've done – they just talked to him like he was their son…about their travel plans for tomorrow and how they were glad they got to see him on the ice, as this was one of the rare occasions they came down to visit during the season. He took a bite of the stacked sandwich and after he finished chewing, kissed his mother on the cheek and said goodnight to his family. I hung back, taking the dynamic in, and felt at ease, thinking that I would want this kind of family when I was ready for it, and pictured Sid and I aged, kids of our own, and visiting the next generation NHL superstar for Christmas.

My daydream was quickly vaporized.

"What?" I asked, feeling apologetic for zoning out.

"I said, are you ready for bed?" Sid asked, smiling at me, knowing I hadn't been paying attention and thinking that was amusing.

He took the last bite of his sandwich and I wrapped my arms around his thick torso, needing a bear hug from my boyfriend. His arms caged me and I looked up into his deep brown eyes, seeing them full of light and wondered if he had known what I was just thinking about. He kissed my nose and took my hand and we climbed into bed.

"So is this what home feels like?" I asked, Sids arm draped across my stomach, his body contouring mine as I laid on my side, my brain on overdrive. I was comfortable. I could see the two of us settling into a routine, making some changes to and finishing his…our house, and falling even more in love with each other. My time in Boston was a waste. Though Boston was home for me always, Pittsburgh was quickly rivaling it, and as much as I loved where I came from, I was in love with this city's prince, and couldn't see myself leaving him again any time soon.

"Yeah, this is home," he said, and buried his head into the back of my neck. I was able to slow down my thoughts and drift to sleep to the sound of Sid's even breathing after he had passed out, and dreamed of our life together. This was really just the first step.


	25. Twenty Five

**A/N: Trying to get up to date with this story, I didn't like how slowly it was moving before but the pace will pick up now as we start moving towards playoffs. After the recent events in Boston, you can bet they'll come into play soon in the story. Let me know what y'all are thinking in your reviews, and enjoy!**

My dad, who had a conference in Philly the day before New Years Eve, brought my cats with him from home so I wouldn't be without them, and to trade cars again. I liked the truck but my dad didn't have any use for the Audi back in Boston and drove it down. The cats had refused to get in a carrier when I had packed up my things so quickly after Christmas, but luckily they could be coerced by some treats. They seemed to give Sid's dog Sam some hell but everything would be an adjustment for a while, especially for the pets. My dad stayed for the day and then returned across the state for his conference, but he was content with what he had seen as far as Sid's house and our relationship went, so I wasn't anxious for him to report back to the rest of the family.

New Years Eve was an odd day and the Penguins had two off days, so the boys had planned quite the party at Tyler Kennedy's. Sid could tell that I wasn't really feeling up to it by my body language when the guys would talk about it around me, so he told them that we just wanted a quiet night in. I was a little overly emotional and I was glad I didn't have to explain to him why. Last New Years was the beginning of the disastrous year that had taken place, and as hard as I tried, it was hard to get my mind out of that place. So Sidney and I stayed in with some Chinese food and watched TV, just taking it easy. I'm sure my dad was 'sponsoring' the Bruins' party back in Boston tonight, which made me cringe thinking he would still do that after last year. Every now and then I'd just think about what could possibly be going on at the Ritz – who would be there, what their dates would look like, what Tyler's date looked like… but I had no interest in actually being there, which was a good sign. I wasn't itching to find out exactly what was happening.

The ball dropped, and my New Years kiss placed his lips perfectly on mine, sealing the end of a hellish year, and signaling a fresh start in 2013.

* * *

January, February and the first half of March flew by, as Sid and I got used to living together and found a comfortable routine. I kept myself busy with housework and errands when Sid was away, and when we were together, we couldn't get enough of each other. I considered getting a job but we decided that it would be easier to wait until the beginning of next season, as we wanted to spend the summer between my lakehouse in Maine and Sid's house in Cole Harbour, when time would allow us. We had stepped out into the public eye as an official couple, especially after the March release of Sid's Sports Illustrated issue, and we had almost completely forgotten about our break. Luckily, Pittsburgh and the rest of the hockey world never had to know about that little blip, and we were happier than ever.

I reignited my friendship with Lindsey, who, after accidently sleeping with Beau Bennett the night we all went to Diesel, had developed quite a relationship with him. The two became even closer friends to us, and we found ourselves on double dates quite often. It was nice having Lindsey around again, and she seemed to be really happy with Beau, and the two year age difference was never apparent. Even though Beau was a typical lug headed guy, he actually was quite mature for his age, and brought out the better parts of Lindsey. But she kept me company, and I her as we suddenly found ourselves living the WAG lifestyle together. I had always dated hockey players so I knew how to handle in-season relationships, and though Lindsey hadn't really had this sort of relationship before, she balanced it well, and grad school kept her busy when she wasn't with either Beau or me.

The snow had mostly melted by this time of the year, though it was still chilly, and the season started gearing towards Playoffs the week before Easter. In a trade, the Penguins had acquired some key players, including Jarome Iginla, who caused quite a stir in Boston after it was rumored he was going there instead. But his debut was this Saturday and the team was excited to add him to their lineup.

While Sid's mind was focused on the team that week, I was beyond stressed about the possibility of having my family in town this weekend for the holiday. While I knew it would be fine, I just couldn't stop thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong. The food, the table setting, whether or not we would go to church, it all just made my head spin. But Sid kept telling me to calm down. His hands would glue themselves to either side of my face and his eyes would lock on mine when I'd get in a tizzy. "It will be just fine."

But snow had grounded them in Boston and my weeks worth of anxiety attacks was for nothing. I guess it was a blessing in disguise in retrospect…

* * *

Saturday was an early day for us. I remembered waking up groggily to Sid kissing my forehead before he left for the rink, the light of the sun still too weak to fully illuminate the room, and then after waking up for a second time, I went down and had breakfast and made a plan with Lindsey for the game today. It was an early one in the city and our glass seats were waiting for us. Though I had been back in Pittsburgh for four months, we had only been to a handful of home games together. I had been to many of them, but Lindsey found herself constantly busy with schoolwork, which I understood. I met her up on the concourse and grabbed a beer before finding our usual seats. Lindsey, dressed in heels, jeggings and a blazer, looked very put together and I was glad that I didn't feel overdressed next to her, as I wore a similar outfit.

The people around us, who were usually the same season ticket holders, had caught on to who we were. I was an easy target, and anyone who knew anything about Sid knew me by now. But Lindsey threw them a little, and after giving them hints, they caught on. They were polite – curious, but polite – and were great seatmates as far as hockey goes. They kept asking why we never sat in the boxes like the other wives and girlfriends did when they chose to go to a game, and we both just shrugged. The atmosphere was so much better in the crowd, and I didn't really need the privacy or luxury of a suite. The people of Pittsburgh had accepted me as Sid's girlfriend, and as long as their captain was happy, they were happy, and generally left me alone.

The puck dropped and the starting centers for the Islanders and the Penguins dueled quickly for possession. The crowd was fired up, ecstatic to see Jarome Iginla debuting with the team in a blue jersey. The game was pretty fast-paced from the get-go, but Lindsey and I got caught up in conversation for a little while, talking about one of her final architecture projects she's working on for school, and our plans for the summer. Hers were up in the air, and mine were pretty flexible too.

I knew I'd be spending time in Canada and in Maine, and figured that when Sid had camp or other summer training, I'd head back to Boston. It was still early in the game and I knew Sid would have things under control, plus the loud vocalizations around us narrated the game without me having to watch intently. I glanced up at the ice as a flash of blue and white jerseys flew in front of us, Sid and his lineys followed by a couple Islanders, just to see what exactly was happening.

Sid stood there, visibly planning his next move in his head, when a slap shot by Orpik deflected off the stick of an Islander and hit Sid in the mouth with such speed and force, I didn't even really know what had happened when Sid hit the ground. I saw something fly out of his mouth, and before I knew it there was a pool of blood on the ice. I stood up and instantly panicked, Lindsey beside me.

"Holy shit, were those his…. teeth?" I could tell that she didn't want to say what we both thought had been flying through the air, and my hands instantly came up to my mouth, both in shock at what had just happened, and visualizing the excruciating pain Sid was probably in.

"No, he had a mouth guard in…" I said.

The ref rushed to him and helped him up, as people from the Penguins bench approached him with towels. He held it to his mouth as he hunched over, and they quickly got Sid off the ice so they could evaluate exactly what had happened. It was an awkward few minutes as the crowd tried to understand what had just happened to their captain. But the game got back underway with much talk around us about whether or not Sid would be back in the game.

The guy next to me with a Crosby sweater on put his hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, the Kid's tough."

I smiled weakly at him but wanted nothing more than to rush back to the locker room to see what was going on. I hated feeling helpless and wanted an update on Sid.

"Let's go get another beer, sitting here isn't going to help," Lindsey suggested and I shakily agreed. The period ended by the time we had gotten in line and decided to grab a snack as well. Eating was a welcomed distraction and I knew Lindsey didn't really know what to do with me, but she was trying everything she could to keep my mind off of Sid.

When we returned to our seats for the start of the second, it was announced that Sid wouldn't be returning to the game. At this point I was just distraught. But before the teams took the ice, someone dressed in a suit, who I assumed was a Penguins employee, approached our seats.

"Charlotte?" he asked, pointing at Lindsey, and then me.

"Yeah?" I asked, clarifying who was who and eagerly hoping he would have some information.

He motioned for me to come with him, and I gave Lindsey a look but she gave me a reassuring gesture and mouth the word "go."

I followed the man, who was actually probably my age, up to the concourse and then down a secure set of stairs to where I assumed they eventually led to the locker room.

"I'm Jim," he introduced himself, as I continued to follow him.

"What's going on?" I asked, now that we were out of earshot of the crowds of people still in line for food. The corridor we were walking down looked like all of the rest of them that led beneath the building.

"Sid's hurt pretty bad. The puck that deflected knocked out a bunch of teeth and we think there's more damage. We tried to get him into the ambulance but being the stubborn ass he can be, he refused to go til we found you. Of course we had a hard time understanding him with the gauze in his mouth… but we found you and now we need to get moving."

I tried to process his words as our pace grew increasingly faster. We walked past the locker room, and I was confused as to why we weren't stopping, but we kept walking until we reached the end of the hallway and he pushed the industrial door outwards, where an ambulance, medical staff, and Penguins staff waited. The doors of the vehicle were shut and I assumed Sid was inside, but one of the EMT's opened the door.

"You Charlotte?" he asked, and before I could answer I jumped inside, and he showed me to a cramped spot where I could sit next to Sid.

I couldn't see the damage as it was hidden underneath gauze and the EMT's hands were in the way, but I grabbed Sid's hand and he squeezed mine. He was already hooked up to an IV, which I assumed contained plenty of painkillers, and I just looked into his eyes. I could tell by his expression that he was really hurt, his dopey look breaking my heart. He had been injured enough in his career, I thought, and there was no way he deserved this. A puck to the face was absolutely no joke and I wished I knew exactly what was wrong but I doubt even Sid knew that, and we wouldn't find out until we got to the hospital.

* * *

The day was filled with phone calls and talks with surgeons and lots and lots of waiting around. The diagnosis was a broken jaw, and Sid was eventually brought into surgery to have a plate and screws put in so the fracture would heal properly and quickly. I had to make the call to Sid's parents, and decided to do that after Sid had gone into surgery. At first his mother was distraught and his father was frustrated, but they calmed down quickly and got down to business.

"Do you need us there?" Troy asked, and I could tell that the Crosbys would be on the next plane out if we needed them to be.

"It's up to you guys," I said. He wasn't 'disabled' in terms of mobility and after this surgery he would mostly just require dental work. "The doctors have said the injury is solely in his mouth, so his only challenge will probably be eating. They don't know about a concussion yet… they won't know until after his surgery."

"Just tell us where you need us to be. I know Sid would tell us to stay home but if you're uncomfortable taking care of him then we're more than happy to come down."

Troy's tone was trusting and I was glad that they were giving me an option of taking care of their son instead of them coming down to baby him. I knew Sid wouldn't want them there. As much as he loved them, the injury was mostly dental, and it wouldn't be necessary for them to come down. The surgery wouldn't be much worse than a wisdom teeth sort of operation and while he was under, the oral surgeon would fit some new top teeth in. The bottom ones would be dealt with later, but they wanted to have a good foundation down for more dental work to come.

"I'll keep you posted on how he's doing over the next couple days, and if he needs you here, then we can let you know. I'm glad I don't work so he's not home alone during the day." I figured that would probably be the best plan, and so did the Crosbys.

"He's lucky to have you, Charlotte. We all are." Troy's tone was appreciative and I was happy that Sid's family really accepted me. We hung up and I went back and sat in the waiting room for another hour before the doctor came to get me.

Sid was out of surgery and back in the hospital room that had been set up for him. He was awake but very, very groggy from the anesthesia. The doctor spoke as I clung to the side of Sid's bed, still trying to analyze the damage.

"The surgery went well, and the plate on his jaw will just help it heal straight. His front teeth were replaced up top, but the lower ones will have to be done by a dentist later in the week to give his jaw some time to start to heal."

Sid mumbled something and the surgeon and I both looked at him, leaning into have him repeat it again.

"Can I play?" he slurred, his face heavy with novocaine and blood pumping with pain killers.

"We can talk about that later in the week," the surgeon said, avoiding telling him that he might be out for the rest of the season.

I thanked him and he said that he was in contact with the Penguins' people so I told him to give them my number so I could update them if needed.

* * *

Sid was discharged the next day and I took him home later that night. Lindsey and Beau dropped off a change of clothes for both of us yesterday and came to check in on their friend, who was relieved to see faces other than those of the doctors and me. Some intern had dropped his Range Rover off at the hospital so I got the key from him and we were on our way back to Sewickley, as Sid slept the whole time. I would worry about getting my car later, and I knew it was safe in the player lot at the Consol. I just couldn't believe what was happening. I left for the game yesterday morning and couldn't comprehend the fact that we were going home like this. He had been talking today but his bottom teeth were shattered, and it was hard to watch him talk when that was all I could focus on. But they would be fixed in time.

I woke him up gently in the passengers seat and got him inside. I carried his prescriptions and paperwork in one hand while I had my other wrapped around his waist, making sure he was supported as we walked into the house. I knew he was aggravated and he had been a little moody with me today but it was completely understandable. The surgeon briefed him again today about a timeline for more possible surgeries and dental work and coach had come to visit him, which made him anxious about getting back on the ice. We got upstairs and he stripped down to take a shower. I took in the sight of his strong body but the way he moved wasn't as flawless as I had known it to be. He moved slowly, peeling off his clothes in a way to deliberately avoid bumping his face and disappeared into the bathroom.

The door was still ajar, and I could see him looking in the large mirror above the sink, observing his mouth for the first time. It broke my heart watching him stand there, looking at his lower jaw and teeth. I think he was trying to remember exactly what happened on the ice yesterday. The game was only a minute and a half in and there was no way he saw the puck coming. I don't think he even really knew what happened until earlier today. I went downstairs to pry myself away, hoping he would get in the shower between now and when I returned, and got him a bottle of water to take his painkillers with. I brought a bottle of Advil up too so he could alternate between them in the night if he had to, and I found a heating pad for him to sleep with in his pillow.

A little while later he returned to the room, a towel clinging to his hips as beads of water streamed down his arms and chest. I was changing into one of his Penguins tees and he just slipped on some briefs before getting into bed with me. We both laid on our sides, facing each other. His smile was weak and broken and his eyes didn't have their usual sparkle, but I knew he was going to be okay… somehow…eventually…

"I love you," I said, putting my hand on his bare bicep. It was still hot from the shower, though his skin erupted with goosebumps at my touch.

"I love you too. Sorry for getting grumpy with you at the hospital." I knew he felt bad about getting a little snappy with me earlier but it was okay. He was stubborn and started to develop a love-hate relationship with the fact that he had someone to take care of him. He was independent, competitive… which meant he hated asking for help from other people. And I knew that, but I helped him anyway, and he would have to learn to deal with that.

"It's okay. Does it hurt at all right now?" It was hard to gauge exactly how he felt and what the injury was like since they did all of the surgery orally so he wouldn't have any unnecessary scars on the outside of his face.

"I'm alright," he said shortly, his tone shifting back to the stiff one from earlier that I really hated. So why exactly did he apologize if his mood hadn't changed much?

"No, you're not," I snapped back, and rolled over to face the wall.

I felt bad about saying it immediately after I did, but he would have to get over himself. I knew there were a million things going through his head, and no one was really sure about a concussion yet. Plus he was high on painkillers. But if I was going to be here with him then he would have to let me do what I could – he'd have to let me care. I knew tomorrow would be another stressful day but for now, all we could do was get some rest in our own bed. I felt him roll over too, and give out a deep sigh that was probably some sort of unspoken apology, but we could save everything else for the morning. It was going to be a long week, a long month…and this was just the beginning.


	26. Twenty Six

**A/N: This was another tough chapter but now we're getting geared towards the playoffs and I want things to be relatively current. Thank you all for your feedback, and please keep reviewing! How do you think the playoffs are going to go in this story? Will Boston and Pittsburgh get a series together? Let me know what you think!**

The first week was very, very difficult. Sid could only eat food in shake form so he was constantly hungry, which made him fairly unpleasant to be around for a while. Well, more than unpleasant. He was a total bear. He easily shed a few pounds, and aside from having to drive him to doctors and dentist appointments while he was on oxy, I tried not to get in his way and let him do most things himself. As the current leading point scorer in the NHL, hearing that there was no definite date for his return was a huge blow. His team had been playing incredibly and had a chance at the cup, but the thought of them possibly not making it because of his injury was a huge burden that Sid put on himself.

I was good at not taking it too personally though. Tyler had suffered a knuckle injury and literally bitched and whined about it until I pretty much was forced to shut it out so dealing with Sid's moodiness and snappy comments didn't bother me too much. I knew he was just mad in general about the injury and I was around him all the time so I'd just have to deal with it. It's not like he ripped a tendon or broke a bone. "I don't need my teeth to skate," he'd always say. But there was nothing he could do but be patient while his mouth healed. He couldn't put his feet in his skates until the screws in his jaw set, and I couldn't help him any more than he wanted to be helped.

The best news to come out of this week though was that he didn't seem to have any concussion-like symptoms. If we had started to notice them, they could've easily ended his career, and while there was no timeline for his return, he was working on getting himself ready to skate. The second weekend, I couldn't keep him out of the gym in the basement, or from catching a ride with the guys to work out. As long as he didn't overdo it, he could do what he wants. The stitches in his mouth had dissolved and though he had more dental work to come, the risk of him rupturing a blood vessel in his mouth wasn't a concern if the big incision had healed.

Around the start of the second week of his recovery, the tension between us lessened. It helped that he was getting out of the house lately and I as well. Being around each other every second of every day was just not possible when Sid was like this, and my own sanity depended on having a break every once and a while. I came home Tuesday night after spending the afternoon in the city with Lindsey to the smell of something cooking in the kitchen. I followed the aromas to find Sid standing over the stove, cooking dinner.

"What's this?" I asked, walking up behind him. I was hoping maybe it was a truce. He was starting to ease back into solid food and the extent of his culinary skills was displayed in the pasta in the pot on the burner and the chicken on the grill pan.

He turned around and wrapped his arms around me, giving me a hug for the first time in almost a week.

"I'm sorry…really, really sorry. I shouldn't be such a dick to you."

"It's alright, I understand how frustrating it is."

His face was more hollow than before the accident, a result of the at least ten pounds he had lost, but he had that spark back in his eye and I hoped that meant he would try to be more cooperative from now on. He was more stubborn than he realized, and lately it was forcing us to distance ourselves from each other.

"You know I just wanna skate. I'm sorry though, I shouldn't take it out on you. I don't mean it."

"It's okay babe, really. I'm just shocked you're actually cooking."

My eyebrows were raised in suspicion and I inspected the food closely. It looked edible. Cooking dinner usually starts as a joint effort but I always end up finishing everything. He could cook when he wanted to, which was rare now that he had me around, but I was more grateful for the gesture.

We ate our dinner and talked about how Sid hoped to get on the ice in the next week. I told him as long as he was ready, and everyone gave him the go-ahead, then I would still support him. He barely chewed the pasta and the chicken ended up being for me since he still wasn't at the meat-eating stage of recovery yet, and I knew he would be hungry again in about an hour.

"So I was thinking…" he started. Oh god, I never liked it when he started a sentence like that.

"Yeah?" I asked, taking a sip of my water.

"Wanna go to a movie tonight?"

A movie? Who was this guy, and what did he do with Sid? He wasn't the type to want to go out to a movie. He never really had time or the energy and when we went anywhere public, the mall was considered a huge stretch.

"Seriously?" I asked, still in disbelief. Was it April Fools again?

"Yeah, I mean, we don't have to if you don't want to." He was smirking and he knew threatening to rescind his offer would make me jump at the chance.

"No, we should go."

We ended up going to a late showing of the Evil Dead remake and Sid was exceptionally jumpy. He wasn't one for scary movies, and even though I loved them and made him see this one, I was definitely scared shitless. There weren't many people in the theater though, and the few that were just nodded to Sid and I as we were leaving. It would be a long night of nightmares for Sid, and while I teased him about it, he knew I wouldn't let the monsters get him.

* * *

On Sunday, Sid got some rough news. His grandma on his dad's side died, and though she was older and the family had been preparing for it for some time, it was still very hard on him.

"I have to get on the ice tomorrow," he said at dinner, and I knew it was true or he would go absolutely crazy.

And he did. Monday morning, fitted with a mask on his helmet, he was on the ice with James Neal and Paul Martin, skating before the other guys and working with their strength coach. I was able to watch him skate for the first time in two weeks and I was overcome with emotion. I felt like such a proud parent… weird but it was unreal watching him get back out there. I couldn't stay very long, Lindsey and I had a day planned together and I had to get going a little before noon.

I met her at her apartment, and it was weird thinking that I used to live on her floor. It seemed so long ago that I had so spontaneously moved here, and moved out almost just as quickly. But we left from there and spent the day downtown, starting with lunch and moving onto some shopping.

Some time after 3 my mom called me, and thinking that it was just something insignificant and that she wanted to bother me about something, I ignored it. Don't get me wrong, we had worked on things while I was home and we were much better than we had been, but I had to be in a certain mood to deal with my mother. After two more calls from her, I finally picked up, annoyed that she was relentlessly blowing up my phone.

"Yeah," I spoke into the phone, aggravated. Lindsey and I kept walking through the store we were in, and I mindlessly looked at the spring clothes set out on the boutique's racks.

"Sweetie, I have some news and I need you to listen to me…there was just a bombing in Boston…at the Marathon."

I stopped moving. Frozen, I gave Lindsey a look, letting her know that we needed to get out of here.

"What?"

Her voice was calm but I could tell there was more to this. She was trying to put on a certain tone for me and she knew that I knew my dad went to that race every year. _Oh god… Dad…_

"Someone bombed the finish line of the Marathon. They're saying people died and the live coverage is horrific…"

"Dad." The only word I could think to say, as my eyes welled up with panicked tears. I choked them back as my brain when into overdrive.

"I can't get ahold of him," she cried, any tranquility in her voice completely shattered.

"Oh my god… let me try to call him, he… he probably just has his phone off. You know he never has it charged when he needs to… But maybe he'll pick up for me"

I got off the phone with my mom and Lindsey asked what was going on as I set us at a brisk walking pace back in the direction of her apartment and my car. Mom said she'd call back when she heard some more news, and said she had already gotten a hold of Braedon and Allison which was a very good sign. I called my dad's cell phone and his work phone atleast 5 times each.

No answer on either.

"Charlotte, what's happening?" she asked, and as we walked by a bar, we could see people crammed under a big screen TV, so we ducked in.

"Oh my god…" she said. The coverage was a disaster. People running everywhere, injured runners and civilians on stretchers… I looked for my dad. I looked for his jovial smile and large stature but couldn't see him in any of the images or film coverage they showed.

"The Bruins staff has a marathon team. My dad goes to the race every year and no one can get ahold of him…I have to go. I have to get home." I urgently rushed out of the bar, unable to watch the screen anymore, and continued walking. But we had covered too much distance, so I held my arm out to hail a cab.

"You can't get on a plane right now, they're going to ground everything if something like this is happening. Get home to Sid first." Her words almost flew right out of my brain but I caught them, thinking that she was actually right about flying. There was no way any flights would be going into Boston, and the same went for trains and buses.

"I'll drive." I said, and a cab pulled over and we climbed in the back.

"Charlotte don't be fucking stupid about this. Get home to Sid. To _Sid._ Call him, tell him what's happening. Your dad is fine, there's probably just so much going on right now that he's caught up in helping someone."

She was always such a voice of reason when I was compulsively caught up in my own head, and I knew that instead of getting in my car and high tailing it to Boston, I'd have to head in the opposite direction to Sewickley. My car was still at the Consol so the driver dropped me off there. Lindsey hugged me before I got out of the car, and I got into the Audi as fast as I could. As I was about to call Sid, his face came up on my phone screen as I waited to get into traffic leaving the player lot.

"I just heard what happened in Boston," he said. "Is everyone okay?"

I lost it. I completely lost it, the overwhelming sadness, fear, and anger washing through me as I tried to wrap my mind around what was happening in my home town, and stayed parked at the entrance of the lot until I could choke out a few words.

"We can't get in touch with Dad," I cried, thinking worst case scenario.

"What? No… I'm sure he's fine, don't worry. There's a lot going on there now." I could tell he was sitting on the couch watching the news, his feet up on the ottoman. Trying to picture exactly what Sid was doing was helping to calm my mind down so I could explain to Sid what I knew. I put the car back in drive and got on the road back to the suburbs.

"He goes to the race every year…the Bruins staff always has a team run. And he won't pick up either of his cell phones."

I caught my speedometer at 90 and quickly slowed down on the highway, knowing that if I should be reckless now, something could happen to me as well.

"I'm on my way home, I'm driving and I can't talk about this now. I'll see you soon."

* * *

I don't really remember the drive home. Sid was waiting for me with open arms and I sobbed uncontrollably for about an hour until Mom called me again. Sid offered to answer it, as he was in a better emotional state than I was at the moment, but I insisted.

Dad was at Mass General. The hospital had gotten in touch with Mom as soon as he arrived in the ambulance, and she was on her way there now. He had suffered some severe shrapnel wounds to his legs and side and had both eardrums blown, from what they could tell right now. He was going into surgery as soon as my mom got there to have the pieces of metal removed from his body and to fix any other damage they could. He was standing close to the finish line, waiting after the Bruins team had completed the race to see a friend cross the finish line when the first of two bombs went off. He was alive and awake for now, and while he was in serious condition, it could've been much worse.

Sid held me for the rest of the night. We watched the news and I constantly refreshed my twitter feed throughout the evening to get updated on everyone I knew back home. Tyler and Andrew Ference alerted everyone that they and the boys were okay. God, if anything had happened to that team, I don't know what the city would've done. Two were confirmed dead, possibly another person was killed but that was unconfirmed, and almost 200 injured, with the suspect, or suspects, still on the loose. The reports of heroism from the city seemed to almost completely overshadow the harm that was done, as runners kept going past the finish line to donate blood. An ex-New England Patriot was seen carrying an injured woman to a medical tent, restaurants delivered food to first-responders, and people opened their homes for those who needed it. The images of people with lost limbs and the blood on the sidewalk were horrendous but Boston was a city that wouldn't be divided over this. This city was the wrong city to fuck with, and though there are people from different walks of life there, it is a place where everyone is family and the city will defend itself no matter the cost. The people there are tough, the city is tough, and my heart broke for my home, but I knew that it would be stronger because of this.

Lindsey was right – Logan Airport's planes were grounded and there was no use in driving there. I could try to fly out tomorrow if the city reopened its airport, but I wouldn't know much of anything until the morning. My dad had gone into surgery and my mom was going to update me on everything, and while I tried to stay awake as long as possible, my eyes couldn't stay awake past 10.

* * *

On Tuesday, the initial frenzy in Boston had died down some and while the bomber was still at large, I was able to fly back home during the day. Mom talked with Sidney last night and kept him updated so he could tell me when I woke up, and Dad's surgery went fine. He would be okay, though others weren't so lucky, and I wanted nothing more than to see him and hug him and let him know how much I loved him.

Sid drove me to the airport around noon, and he got out of the car when we got there. I felt bad that he couldn't come to Boston with me, but he had to fly to Nova Scotia tomorrow for his grandma's funeral. I had planned to go with him but he insisted that I go home, and that he'd be fine without me. He held me tight in his arms for a while, and I squeezed his torso. His lips pressed against my forehead and then he kissed me lightly on the lips. I knew he was still in pain but the tender kiss was enough.

"Everything will be okay. The most important thing is that everyone is safe and your dad will be just fine."

"I know, thank you for dealing with me. Sorry I'm a hot mess."

"A hot mess is right," he smiled, his bottom teeth still broken. "But you've been dealing with a much more difficult patient lately." At least he knew he was a dick.

"I'll plan to be home on Friday at the latest," I said, and hugged him again. He handed me my duffel and kissed me once more.

"Take as long as you need, let me know when you land."

I smiled quickly. "I will. I love you."

"Love you too," he said, and I was on my way.

* * *

As much as I wanted to go straight from the airport to the hospital, the odds of me getting in with a large duffel were slim to none. I took a cab to Cambridge and dropped my things off at the brownstone before taking off to the hospital.

When I got there, the place was extremely busy. I had to wait ten minutes at the front desk for someone to tell me how to find my dad, and eventually someone directed me to the third floor. I wandered for a couple minutes, getting my bearings while I searched for room 307, but I saw my brother in the hall facing the opposite way, probably looking for me.

"Braedon!" I exclaimed, and he whipped around. I threw my arms around him and he held me tight before we entered the room.

My dad was propped up on his bed, his hospital dinner suspended on a tray in front of him. Mom and Allison had apparently gone out to find better food to sneak in for him, which explained why only his chocolate pudding had been touched.

I hugged my dad gently, tears rolling down my cheeks as I embraced him. I had never been so afraid in my life. My father could've been taken from me yesterday, and having him alive and safe and in the right direction as far as healing went was such a relief.

"How are you, kiddo?" he asked, his usually clean-shaven face showing its five o'clock shadow. Stitches formed a ridge above his left eyebrow and he had other small scrapes on the side of his face.

"I'm fine now that you're okay. Are you in pain at all?" That was a silly question, as I looked at the IV drip hanging on a stand beside his bed.

"Not one bit. I just want to get out of here, this place is a prison," he complained, and I knew he wanted to be anywhere but here. I couldn't blame him. The halls were bustling and I'm sure there were many bomb victims here too. Security was high and he would probably still need to be here a couple more days before he could go home, and while he would just walk out of here if he could, he reluctantly stayed put.

Allison and mom got back and after our initial greetings, we all talked for a while as my dad ate the Chipotle burrito they had smuggled in. Dad said he didn't really remember much of the explosion actually happening. He said that his friend had just crossed the finish line about a minute before the bomb went off, and he started walking away from where the bomb was initially planted towards his friend when it went off. If he hadn't have started walking, who knows how badly injured he could have been. The shards of metal and other bits had stricken his left side, which made sense with his story of walking up the street and away from the race when the explosion occurred. He said someone had helped get him on a makeshift stretcher when things came into picture after a white out. He couldn't hear and his ears rang but the time he spent at the medical tent was brief until he was loaded into an ambulance.

It was a lot to take in.

* * *

The next night, Braedon and I decided to go to the Bruins game that had been rescheduled after it was postponed on Monday. Emotions were high and everyone was decked out in 'Boston Strong' shirts, had blue and yellow ribbons pinned to them, and were in desperate need of a good hockey game. We went down the tunnel through the back of the Garden before the game to quickly say hi to the boys before they hit the ice for warm-ups. It was a relief that they were all okay, and we all took turns embracing one another. I got to Tyler, who I could tell was sort of avoiding me, pretending to be busy inspecting his skate, and just hugged him. I didn't say anything, and after he initially tensed up, he relaxed and pulled me closer to him.

We left after wishing them good luck, and went to our favorite in-crowd seats in Loge 19. The Bruins skated out for their warm-ups, and before everyone knew it, it was time for the opening ceremony. The multimedia team had put together a touching tribute to the city and those who were affected by the bombing. I couldn't keep my eyes dry, and I was waiting for Rene Rancourt, the team's anthem singer, to make his debut on the ice.

As the National Anthem began, not a single person refrained from singing along. And suddenly, after the first few bars, Rancourt turned it over to the crowd to finish the song. Goosebumps covered my skin as the nearly 18,000 voices sang in unison. I think every person around me was crying, but we sang through and finally the puck dropped and the game was underway.

The Bruins lost that night, and though a win would've been nice, they played the best they could under extremely emotional circumstances. They gave the fans a distraction, an escape for a few hours, and showed the world what it was like to carry a city on your back. The teams saluted the crowd, and they did it for everyone but themselves.

They did it for Boston.

* * *

I stayed until Thursday afternoon, and caught a flight to Pittsburgh after the doctors had assured my dad that he would be able to leave the hospital Friday morning. He'd be on crutches for about 8 weeks while his leg healed so he wasn't completely out of the clear yet, but I didn't want to be in the city too long while the investigation was still underway, and when I got back to Pittsburgh, photos of the two suspects had been released.

"They'll get them now, someone knows who these people are and it won't take long before their faces are everywhere," Sid said as he sipped at the beer in his hand. He had picked me up from the airport, not having been back from Halifax more than an hour or so himself, and we decided that sitting out on the patio would be a good escape from the news and the rest of the world for a while. It was a nice night, and spring was finally starting to set in.

But he was right, and late Thursday night it was reported that an MIT officer had been shot and killed, a 711 had potentially been robbed, and a car chase with two suspects in a stolen SUV was ensuing. We stayed up as late as we could watching the live coverage, and around 2am, I called it quits. One suspect had been killed in Watertown, only a couple towns over from Wellesley, and another had gotten away, but there would be more information in the morning. There was no confirmation on whether it was the marathon bombers, but normal people don't just carry IED's and grenades with them, and it was obvious that as soon as night fell on the day that their photographs were released, they would try to make moves to leave the city.

Sid had practice early Friday with the strength coach but I stayed home and caught up on the news. I don't think I pried myself away from NBC all day. It was confirmed that all of the events this week were related, and that bombinb suspect no. 1 was killed, and his younger brother was still on the run, and at the end of the day, after a manhunt and lockdown in the city, they finally found the other suspect in someone's boat in their backyard. A standoff until around 9pm resulted in his eventual capture. Alive. The best news I had heard all week, aside from my dad being okay. Now this guy could face the legal ramifications for his actions and deal with the consequences of his mistakes for the rest of his life. At only 19, he had done a pretty good job throwing his life away, and easily became the most hated person in Boston. Even worse than the Yankees.

Sid came home after a long day of meetings and doctors appointments and I was just crying.

"Oh god, what's wrong?" he asked, pulling me close to him. My tears were happy though, and I wasn't a happy crier, so he was worried that something had taken a turn for the worse.

"It's over," I said. "It's all over."


	27. Twenty Seven

**A/N: Again, thanks for your patience. The end of the semester got crazy and I had to get settled back home. I also started a Tyler Seguin story for those of you who read this for Tyler - I felt like I needed to write a story where he got much more attention! But here is the next chapter! Please let me know what you think and thank you all for reading and reviewing! **

With playoffs starting in about a week, Sid was getting anxious for word on whether or not he could play.

"Out for the regular season," is all he kept hearing, and he didn't care about that. He knew it already and wanted to know whether or not he could help his team make a good run for the cup. They had been one of the first teams to clinch a spot in the playoffs, after their impressive 15 game winning streak. Obviously Sid blamed himself for the streak ending, but his team really was playing very well without him and a few other key players.

He lost a hold of his leading points scored with three games left to go in the season, but it took 25 days for someone to actually surpass him. 25 days where he hadn't touched the puck in a game. He knew it was impressive but he still wasn't winning, and as competitive as Sid was, that was an issue. Finally, as the regular season came to a close, he was given the go-ahead to practice with the team as if he were to play in the first round. Medically cleared, and able to suit up with his teammates. That seemed cause for celebration, so the Sunday after the season ended, we decided to have the team and their families over for a barbecue and pool party. For the end of April, the 80 degree weather we were having was abnormal but we had had a grounds crew come work on the landscaping for the first time since Sid had finished building the house and the pool company opened the heated pool up for the season so it would be fun for some of the players' kids and probably most of the guys to have as an option.

Sid spent the early morning working out while I went shopping for food and began prepping for the guests to arrive at 2. He picked up the house like I asked by the time I got back so that was something I could check off the list, and then I got ready to cook. I had made a few things the night before, like a pasta salad, the desserts and some spinach dip, but I still needed to marinate some chicken kebabs, steaks and shrimp. While I got the meat ready, Sid went out and made the booze run, grabbing just enough beer and wine for people to have a good time on a Sunday if they wanted to, and I started cutting up some fruit and veggies and putting some other appetizers together when the meat was prepped.

Sid walked up behind me while I stood at the counter assembling a platter and put his arms around my waist, hugging me close to his sturdy body.

"Have I told you lately how much I love you?" he asked, the sun streaming through the window in front of me and bathing his arms in a warm glow. He kissed my cheek and I put the knife that was in my right hand down on the cutting board so I could feel his forearms.

"Yeah, I think so," I said, smiling.

Things had been pretty okay with us after the initial shock of Sid's injury wore off and we found a comfortable routine after the one we had nailed was completely thrown off by Sid's unpredictable appointment schedule and volatile mood. I had gotten used to his lack of bottom teeth that would be fixed in the off-season and the lisp he sometimes talked with was actually kinda cute, and I made a point to not make him feel awkward about it. His hands dropped to my waist and he turned me around, the fingers of his left hand pushing my messy hair away from my eyes. His face was stubbly, as a result of the early stages of a playoff beard, but he had recently showered and smelled so good. His Pens hat was backwards and the muscles of his chest and torso were defined through his plain white tee, and he had a content look on his face that put me at ease, and made me forget about the stress of putting a gathering together for a minute.

"No, really. I love you," he said, and I kissed him slowly and then rested my head on his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"I love you too," I said through a dopey smile and he lifted me up and gave me a good squeeze to the point where I couldn't breathe and started wriggling in his arms. He finally let me go, after getting his laugh in. "For that you can go start up the grill." I pointed out the window to the expansive grill that sat covered on the patio. He gave me a look like I couldn't tell him what to do but I handed him everything that needed to be cooked out there and he rolled his eyes playfully and walked out the back door. I could see him from the window fighting with the grill cover and then trying to get it lit, and laughed to myself a little. For a guy so good with a puck, he really fought with the grill every time he used it.

Everything came together somehow and we used the floating counter space in the kitchen for food, letting everyone serve themselves and then head outside to the backyard. It was a casual environment, and pretty much the whole team and their families, or girlfriends, or just themselves were there. Pascal Dupuis and Craig Adams's kids found the pool immediately, and enjoyed it under the watchful eye of their mothers. Mario Lemieux and his wife arrived, followed by the Bylsmas, and lastly Lindsey and beau arrived. Lindsey look flustered and I could only imagine what held them up. She offered to help me but I just laughed a little at her and reassured her that I had everything under control and she followed after Beau.

As the afternoon picked up, everything was going smoothly. Conversations were light and everyone ate and laughed out on the patio. The kids ore themselves out and everyone with kids headed out around 6, but a lot of the guys stayed well into the evening, and dusk started creeping in. Sid had an unused firepit so he gave Geno the task of building a fire, cracking a Neanderthal joke in the process. I came inside after I was certain they had that under control and weren't about to burn the house down, and tidied up the kitchen. Nathalie Lemieux came in after taking a supervising shift on the patio, keeping a watchful, maternal eye on everyone, and took a seat on one of the bar stools at the counter.

"You're doing a great job, you know," she said with a smile, taking a sip from the water bottle in her hand.

"It wasn't too hard to put together, Sid did all of the grilling and everything," I said, leaning against the cool marble surface and idling my hands for a minute.

"No, no sweetie, the party is great. But with Sid – you're doing a great job with him." She looked out through the sliding glass door beside her at all of the guys sipping at beers and talking game plans.

"Oh…" I said, looking at Sid. He was laughing at something Brooks had said and I smiled, thinking that if he was happy, then I was happy. And I was, truly.

"He needs someone like you to push him. You're a little spitfire, I can tell. Sidney can be a stubborn boy, and I know the injury has been difficult on both of you. But someone like you to love him and pull him back down to Earth sometimes is just what he needs. He's a lot like Mario that way…" Nathalie looked at her husband with loving eyes and I saw his eyes glance over and meet hers. He winked quickly and I smiled at the two of them. They had figured out over the years how to make a family and an intense career work at the same time. They were living the dream. Sid really looked to them as his second family and as role models, and I was starting to see that in them too.

"Stubborn is an understatement," I joked. He was often pretty difficult actually, but when we butted heads it was never malicious. He was just very set in his ways and living together was an adjustment but it was one that he was dealing with better than I thought he would.

"I know, but he needs you. He's really great, and we just love him to death. We're so happy he's found someone that makes him want to be a better person."

I was humbled, honestly. Sid and I loved each other and that was pretty obvious, but I didn't really have a good idea of how the rest of the Penguins sphere thought of me and I was glad that this was what one of the most important women in his life thought of me.

"He is a great guy. Really great," I agreed, smiling. "I love him. I just want him to be happy and I'm glad I can have something to do with that."

"We've never seen him this happy, sweetie. He's learning that there's more to life than a stick, a puck, and finding the back of a net. He's very grounded, very family oriented, and you're reminding him of that."

* * *

"I can't play," Sid grumbled as he came out of the doctor's office. I stood up from my seat in the waiting room of the practice and expected him to at least stop and talk to me for a second but he was out the door and heading to the car at such a pace that I had to almost jog to keep up. I kept quiet until we were in the car, knowing that trying to get in his face about the issue would only make him freak out more.

"So what exactly did the doctor say?" I asked, starting the Audi up. He sat; arms crossed, in the passenger's seat, the brim of his hat down low. _Jeez, moody._

"That I can't play. He said I can't play." He repeated it and I figured that if he kept saying it he would only make himself angrier. Hearing the words out loud were hard for him and he was already angry that he had missed a month, but was still able to practice. So why couldn't he play?

"I know he said that," I said, pulling out of the parking lot and getting on the road. "But is there a timeline?"

"No."

I dropped the issue. He was just going to have to get over his grumpy spell and that would be that. He knew that there wasn't a timeline on when he'd be back and even though he was medically cleared to practice, taking a hit in a game from a cup-hungry New York Islander was a different story altogether. He had been too optimistic all weekend and the beginning part of the week that he'd be able to play in Game 1 of the playoffs tonight at the Consol but he knew better than to get too hopeful. The doctor had the final say and Sid's word that he was capable of going out there wasn't enough.

I dropped him off at the Consol for morning skate and hoped that he would get his frustrations out during practice. He'd have to address the media after he came off the ice and that would make him pretty mad too but there wasn't much he could do in this situation but wait until his next appointment, which he had neglected to make after storming out of the office. I knew all he wanted to do was play in the most promising playoffs the Penguins had faced in a couple years, and reporters asking for a timeline and what was keeping him from making his return in tonight's game would make him very unpleasant to be around afterwards.

After I left the rink I headed to Lindsey's to pick her up and grab some brunch. She looked tired, having been working on her final project at all hours of the day when she wasn't in class or with Beau. But we talked as we ate our food about the boys that we loved and I was really glad to hear that she and Beau were really doing well. Their drunken, blacked out hookup had actually been the start of something good and I was so happy for them. I told her about the recent development with Sid, and she rolled her eyes, knowing that even though he had

"So are you going to the game tonight?" she asked, chewing a strawberry from the fruit salad she had in front of her.

"I don't know," I said. "I'll probably just go home and watch the game. I told my family I'd skype them sometime this week and I wanna stay out of Sid's way today."

"You should go…He's going to get over it eventually and it's not your fault he's acting like a child about it."

He _was _being a child about it. Part of me felt genuinely horrible for Sid, because it killed me knowing he couldn't do the thing he loves. But on the other hand, if there was one thing he had learned as the face of the NHL, it was composure, and storming around and letting it all stew wasn't going to fly for very long. Lindsey was going to the game tonight but Beau's parents were flying in for their son's first NHL playoff game and it would be the first time she met them. And even though she wanted me there to act as a buffer, I didn't want to be in a weird mood to meet them and Sid would probably hide in Mario's suite anyway.

"You have fun," I said to her. "Beau's parents will love you. There's no reason they won't. I'm just not really feeling it."

She understood and wasn't the type to beg me to go which I was thankful for. We ate the rest of our food and walked around downtown a little to kill some time before I had to go back to the Consol to get Sid. I missed the convenience of living on the same floor as Lindsey – always having someone to talk to and spontaneously being able to go out into the city was a luxury I hadn't realized while living there – but I was glad she was still my best friend here and we were able to spend the time together that we did. We hugged as we parted ways and made plans to go to Friday's Game 2.

I drove the Audi a few blocks to the rink and waited just a few minutes before he threw the back door of the building open. I could tell he was in a glorious mood as he approached the car as I sat in the player lot. He opened and slammed the door and shoved his seatbelt into the buckle without saying a word.

"Cut it out," I hissed, frustrated that he was being really out of control with his temper right now. He had the last two hours to figure out how to pull it together and I know everyone has to let it out sometimes but I didn't want to be the punching bag anymore.

He looked at me with such a steaming expression that I was afraid the ticking bomb inside him was about to set off, and I was right.

"Why? Tell me, Charlotte, why I should cut it out – why I should be all happy and shitting rainbows. I was told I could play and now I can't? Because the doctor doesn't think I can take a hit? I lost my points lead for the season, I've missed the last month of games, and this is the most important time of the year and I can't even set foot on the ice tonight. Can't even be suited up and on the bench. I'm their fucking captain, for fuck's sake, but no, it's okay, I'll just be the 'Princess Crosby' the Islanders want me to be." His voice had elevated and I kept a firm grip on the steering wheel as we got on the road back to Sewickley.

"I know. I get it. Do you think you have to remind me who you are? To the team, the city… to me? I've been here for the last month doing whatever you needed me to do and dealing with _this._ Call the doctor tomorrow and set up an appointment to see if you can play Friday if you feel like you know more than he does. But so help me god if you slam a door one more time…"

I glanced over at him, trying to concentrate on the road but still get my point across, and his eyes had the meanest look in them I had ever seen. "You'll what, Charlotte. You'll leave again?"

* * *

After we got home from a car ride that was silent for the rest of the way home after his nasty comment, Sid disappeared into his office, presumably to watch some tape and strategize for his return, and I watched TV in the upstairs living room. I heard Sid go back into the city around 4 for the game, which was early but I didn't bother going downstairs to see what his plan was, and I stayed in and video chatted my parents. My dad was doing well, still frustrated with his crutches but everything was on its way to healing properly and he would be fine. My mom was definitely a good person to have take care of you, so I knew my dad was in good hands.

What Nathalie Lemieux said to me at the party Sunday kept playing through my head – _You're doing a great job with him_…. – was I really? Sometimes, I felt like even though I wasn't sure of whether or not I wanted a relationship with Sid in the beginning, he just never learned how to be in one. I didn't know his history with his other girlfriends, however many or few there were, and there was a reason he was single. I had only ever dated hockey players, so I knew that there was a balancing act at play in terms of knowing when to leave it on the rink but did Sid _really_ know how to do that? I felt like a kicked puppy when he was in a horrible mood. I just kept crawling back to him, and I know he doesn't mean it when he snaps but did I deserve it in the first place? Was it worth it to keep working on trying to make him see that I feel what he feels, regardless of him telling me? It seemed like I was doing a great job at being the outlet for Sid's anger more than anything after that last incident.

I went to bed before Sidney got home. I watched the game until I saw that the Pens won it and then called it good. Maybe that would lift his mood a little, knowing that his team could carry their own during the playoffs as they had during the time he had missed in the regular season. But still, I didn't want to deal with Sid when he got back and I was exhausted from the day, and had been distracted enough to sort of forget about the spat in the car.

I heard him come in around 12:30, which was pretty late but he probably went out with some of the guys after their win. I pretended to still be sleeping when he came into the bedroom, though the security system on the house beeps every time a door opens, and he tried to be quiet while he took his suit off and got into bed. I thought he would've just crawled under the duvet and stayed on his side but he actually curled up against me, draping his arm over my waist and pulling me closer to him, gently so I wouldn't wake up. He smelled like whiskey and cigar smoke and it kind of made me sick thinking that he could've just been out partying and blowing off steam while I was at home alone and wondering where I went wrong with him to make him act like this towards me. But I shook the idea of him going wild out of my head because I knew he wasn't the type, and he kissed the back of my bare shoulder before falling asleep.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up earlier than I usually did to Sid still sleeping up against me, his arm limp in slumber but still hugging me. I stirred, rolling over to look at him, and he readjusted in his sleep. It was nice to see him actually peaceful, and not all tense with the rage that had built up within him recently. I wasn't in a horrid mood as I had expected to be when I woke up, and I quickly realized that if today was going to be better than yesterday, I would just have to brush his fighting words off and start fresh with the day. He got paid millions of dollars to chirp at people on the ice and he had proven that there was no control over that when the skates were off, but constantly reminding myself to not take it personally usually worked.

His face was getting scruffier by the day and I was starting to get used to it, and his jaw line somehow looked stronger knowing there was a plate in it.

And suddenly, I wanted him.

Truth be told, it had been a month of focusing on Sid's surgery and dental procedures, making sure he wasn't in any pain and ensuring that he would be good as new when this ordeal was over. After all, he was the face of the NHL, Pittsburgh's pride and joy, and probably the best hockey player in the world – and when he was injured, the only goal was to get him back on the ice. And somewhere in that process, a lack of intimacy had become a norm, and it had been since before his injury that we'd had real, passionate sex.

"What are you looking at?" he grumbled, eyes still closed, a small smile spreading across his lips.

"Just the grumpiest guy in the world," I joked, and he pulled me close to him. His warm chest was bare and his skin on mine was definitely welcomed.

"I'm sorry, babe." His eyes were still full of sleep as they opened but they focused on mine with an apologetic look in them. I knew he was sorry, but it was nice to hear after the last thing he said to me was probably one of the meaner things I've heard come out of his mouth. "When I get pissed, sometimes there's just no filter."

"Tell me about it," I said, and his hand found the skin of my waist and my side, and he stroked it with his thumb.

"I know you wouldn't leave. And I'm sorry that you have to deal with all of this… I've never really lived with someone like this, especially when I'm injured…"

I didn't say anything to that, and pressed my lips lightly to his. My right hand came up to the side of his face and he pulled my hips into him, kissing me back with much more intensity than I had kissed him with.

"I want you," I whispered, literally craving his body on mine.

He kissed me fully and rolled over so he was on top of me, bracing himself on his left elbow and forearm while his other hand worked to pull my loose tank over my head. I didn't have a bra on so my chest was quickly exposed, and my nipples perked up when the chill of the central air hit them. Sid's lips moved from mine, to my neck, and down to my chest, and I could feel the stiff bulge in his briefs grow while he was positioned between my legs.

I didn't really care much for the foreplay at this point. All I could think about was his dick growing harder and harder by the second and right now it was still out of sight, the outline of it visible in the dark Under Armour briefs he wore. I kissed him fully, and pulled the fabric down his muscular thighs, taking his length in my hand – letting him know that I was serious about wanting him.

"I think you owe me…" my voice was playful in his ear as I started stroking his stiff cock, making his hips flex and the muscles of his abdomen shift. He bit his lip and his chest started to heave, and he smirked.

"I think I owe you too," he said and had my panties off and was inside me in one quick move.

I wanted it hot and heavy, and that was how I got it. His teeth grazed my bottom lip as he thrust himself back and forth. My fingers knotted themselves in the messy curls at the nape of his neck but after a few minutes he sat back on his knees and pushed my legs up before repositioning himself. I rested my legs on his shoulders and clawed at the backs of his legs while he fucked me like that, my eyesight almost completely gone and my body writhing in pleasure until we both hit the point where we knew we were about to go over the edge, and took the leap together.

He collapsed on me and as he rested his head on my chest, I lightly scratched his back, now soaked in sweat.

"I need to go back to the doctor," he said, and kissed my left breast before looking up at me.

"I know you do."

* * *

I sat on the couch on my iPad, taking in the warm afternoon sun through the sliding glass doors to my left and Skyping with my brother until I heard the Range Rover pull into the driveway. I said goodbye to him and closed the device in its case in time for Sid to open the door, a smile plastered across his broken face.

He didn't have to say a word.

I jumped up and ran over to him, throwing my arms around him and he lifted me off the ground, spinning me around, laughing to himself.

Sid had a return date. The Penguins would have their captain for game 2 against the Islanders.


	28. Twenty Eight

**A/N: Sorry for another long wait - I've been trying to keep up with the Playoffs and work things that happen in these games into the next couple chapters. Thank you all for your patience and ever-kind reviews, it means the world!**

Sid's comeback was more impressive than anyone had expected, not that everyone was totally surprised that he was playing his best games of the season in the playoffs, but the team was relieved to have their captain back. Sid had proven he was ready to play in the second game at home against the Islanders, putting two goals in the back of the net, and won back the heart of the city, not that he ever really lost it, even though they couldn't at least tie or win the game that day.

Lindsey and I spent a lot of time together in the week of games that Sid had returned for, which was good because Sid was in his own world when I did actually see him. Beau was getting ice time and we were able to travel to Long Island together for the away games to support the boys. She always wore his home jersey when we were away, and vice versa, and I admired the support she always showed him. He might not be as seasoned as some of the older guys on the team but she never once complained that he wasn't given enough chances to skate or anything. She really loved him and they were pretty great together.

The Lemieuxs insisted we sit with them in their suite for each playoff game, which at this point we didn't mind doing. We knew that on the road, if it was known who we were and we were at the whims of a crazy home-defensive crowd, things might not go so well and it would be much safer and enjoyable to watch a game up from the middle concourse. Lindsey got to know the Lemieuxs more after having briefly met them at gatherings like the one at our place, and it took some of the pressure off me because Lindsey was great at making conversation, so I could just chime in when I was needed.

While Lindsey was having no problems balancing a relationship with a playoff-hockey player, Sid and I were in a somewhat different situation. From the way the team had played in the regular season, and the way they had taken the Islanders in OT during Game 6, there was talk of the Penguins having a promising chance at the cup. They had a few days off to get geared towards the next series against Ottawa, and if I thought I didn't see Sid much during the week of games, this was a completely different story. If Sid wasn't at the rink skating or running dry land drills, he was in his office watching tape from old games, trying to look for defensive holes, correct plays the offense may have set up incorrectly, and look for ways to tighten up his team.

He was going to get another cup, one way or another.

In my down time I would talk to my dad about how the Bruins were doing, because he was also possessed by the Playoff demon. The Bruins and the Maple Leafs had had quite the showdown, and while Dad knew better than to bring up Tyler just out of the blue, his dry-streak was definitely noteworthy. He didn't have a single point in the series until the Bruins made their historic comeback during Game 7, and there was talk of scratching him at one point for a game or two with the way he was playing. He was disappointing everyone and frustrating his teammates apparently, and their next showdown with the Rangers would be a definite bloodbath as the Original Six teams both wanted their shot at the cup.

When the schedules for the second round were released for both the Bruins and the Penguins, I decided that I'd meet my family in New York for the first Rangers home game, Game 3, before heading up to Ottawa for Game 4 of the Penguins series. Things were getting a little hectic with Sid becoming obsessed with everything about the game and it had been about a month since I'd seen my family and I was anxious to see my dad.

* * *

The third week in May snuck up on all of us it seemed. The Penguins won the first two games of their series but Game 3 was a mess, resulting in a 2-1 OT win for Ottawa. I had skipped out on the first leg of that road trip and was glad I did, knowing that after a loss like that, Sidney would be impossible to be around and trapped in a hotel room with him probably wouldn't end well. But I gave him a call that night after the loss, just hoping to cheer him up a bit.

"Hey," he said, his voice a little softer than I had expected.

"Hey Captain," I responded, hoping he could hear the smile in my voice. I missed him, in general. Not being in the same country as him was one thing, but barely seeing him even when we were in the same house was a whole different ballpark.

"I can't believe we let it go into OT," he sighed, and I could picture him laying down on a fluffy hotel bed, one leg crossed over the other, NHL highlights on the TV in front of him. I could hear how disappointed he was but they still had a lead.

"It's okay, babe. I'll be there on Wednesday to cheer you on, maybe that'll help. And losing one game in Ottawa just lets you win the series at home." I wasn't good at making him feel better, no one was. But he tried to make his tone sound more cheery to make it seem like it helped.

"Yeah, that's true. Are you packed yet?" He changed the subject and that was welcomed. Dwelling on the loss would make him toss and turn all night.

I looked at my half-packed suitcase on the floor of the bedroom and scrunched my nose, dreading giving it some more attention. "Mostly," I lied.

"Hop to it," he said, knowing full well that I wasn't packed, and I could tell that he was anxious to see me by the strange longing sound in his voice. Even though he was in playoff mode, he was still a guy with a girlfriend that couldn't always be with him.

"I will eventually, bossy. What's your schedule for tomorrow and Thursday?"

"Practice at 11 tomorrow and then I'm gonna meet with coach for a while before we have a team dinner. Tuesday we're skating and then resting. Wednesday is probably gonna be the regular game day stuff. I think we're skating at 10 that morning."

"Okay, I'm flying out tomorrow at 5:30 so I'll probably call you before I leave." I didn't really want to get off the phone with him but he sounded exhausted and that was definitely expected after such a tough game.

"Sounds good baby. I love you," he said, his voice sweet and without hint of a loss.

"I love you too. Get some sleep, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

* * *

I was in New York on Monday in time for a late dinner with my family. Braedon and Allison were both there to pick me up with my parents at the airport and we decided that room service in one of the suites they'd reserved at the Downtown Marriott while we relaxed and watched some NHL highlights together. Dad was more than excited about the Bruins and knew that they would dominate the Rangers this series, and I was glad to see him in such high spirits even though his crutches were still close to his side while he sat on the couch, his leg propped up. Mom was just happy to see me more than anything, and my siblings were the same. Braedon had just finished his freshman year, which seemed almost impossible to me, and Allison hadn't changed a bit since I was last home.

We crashed early, and Mom and Dad retreated to their suite with Allison while I shared one with my brother. I luckily got the king sized bed and since he was the boy, he could rough it on the pull out couch in the living room. I had forgotten to call Sid before I flew out of Pittsburgh, and even though I had been texting him all day, I crawled into bed and hit 'call' on his contact in my phone. I wasn't feeling 100% after I got to New York and hearing his voice might help, but all I got was his voicemail.

"Hey babe, sorry I didn't call you before I left. I'm in New York, I just wanted to say goodnight. Love you."

I feel asleep almost instantly after that, only to be woken up in the middle of the night by some cold sweats and horrible stomach pains. I thought back to the burger I had for dinner and nearly got sick right in bed, so I hopped up and ran to the bathroom, suddenly feeling disgusting. I barely made it to the toilet before I threw up everything in my stomach, and then some, it seemed.

_Of course I'm sick. _Lindsey had mentioned not feeling well in a text she sent me the morning before when I asked her to swing by the house to watch the dog and the cats, so I presumed I caught a stomach bug from her. It didn't seem like it could be food poisoning but that wasn't completely ruled out, and I curled up with a makeshift bed of towels next to the toilet and fell asleep for a little while longer.

* * *

I awoke with a start in the morning – to Braedon knocking on the bathroom door.

"You alive?" he asked, looking down at me, curled up practically in the fetal position.

"Barely," I said, trying to sit up. Sleeping on the cold tile had done a number on my back and throwing up had taken the life right out of me. "Do you feel okay?" I asked him, remembering Braedon also had a burger for dinner too.

"I should be asking you that. I'm fine," he said.

"I think I have the stomach flu or something," I said, now trying to stand up. I made it to my feet slowly, and hobbled back out into the bedroom.

"Mom said something about going out for breakfast but I can tell them that you're sick if you just want to stay here," he suggested, and I liked the sound of that idea so I nodded in agreement. Food sounded absolutely horrible to me right now and I just wanted to crawl back into bed, so I made myself comfortable under the covers again and Braedon moved the trashcan next to me just in case.

Braedon disappeared and it wasn't long until my mother came barging into my room, all concerned and maternal-like.

"Oh gosh sweetie, you look awful," she said, sitting down on the edge of my head and putting the back of her hand to my forehead. "You're burning up too."

"Yeah I feel like shit," I muttered, rolling over to my side.

"Will you be okay here if we go get something to eat?" I knew she felt bad that I was sick but she also didn't want it to put a damper on her time in New York, and I would feel bad if that was the case.

"I'll be fine," was the understatement of the year.

* * *

I laid in bed all day, unable to keep anything down. Mom tried to force feed me saltines and ginger ale but even those found their way back up. I just felt absolutely horrible. Maybe it was food poisoning, or the worst stomach flu I could remember, but I just wanted it to end, and by the time my family was getting ready to go to the game, there was no way I would be able to get myself out of bed, muster the energy to make myself look presentable, and sit for three hours at Madison Square Garden without either throwing up or dying – whichever came first.

My family headed off to the game, making sure I had my phone on me and the TV was set to the right channel so I could watch it. I honestly didn't really feel like watching the Bruins play anyway right now. I knew it meant a lot to my dad to be able to go to these games and have the Bruins be doing so well in the playoffs but they just made my heart ache sometimes. I kept the game on in the background but Sidney called me around 8:30. I had texted him earlier letting him know I was sick but he gave me a quick response, so I knew he was too busy to talk during the day but I was glad to hear his voice.

"Are you okay?" He asked, and I rolled over onto my stomach.

"Not at all, I'm literally disgusting." I felt bad complaining to him but I was really sick.

"Are you gonna be able to fly up here still?" He had a hitch in his voice at the thought of me not being able to come up to Ottawa for the game but the thought of not going hadn't even crossed my mind.

"They have puke bags on planes, I'll be fine," I joked.

"Yeah but I don't want everyone knowing my girlfriend was the one getting sick all over first class," he laughed, and I would've let my smile spread to a laugh if it didn't hurt my stomach so much to jostle it like that.

"I'm sure I'll be better by tomorrow. My flight's at 9:30 so I should be there pretty early." The thought of having to fly again also made me queasy but I cared more about seeing Sid and being there for his game like I promised than the bug I was battling.

"If you're still not feeling well tomorrow then we'll get you in to see the doctor," he said, very matter-of-factly.

"Okay," I responded, knowing he would shuffle me from the airport to the hospital if he had to.

"I'm watching the Bruins too so if you need anything just call, I'm not doing anything tonight."

"I will, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Love you."

* * *

I got to Ottawa around 11:15, and Sid was pulling up to the sidewalk as I stepped outside, still sweaty and in his spandex base layers as he got out of the rental car quickly to help me with my bag. I knew he had skate at 10, and I felt bad that he probably had to run off the ice and rip his gear off to get here, but he wouldn't have made me get a cab when I felt like this. I still felt like I had the plague, and my parents both tried to convince me to go with them instead of fly up here by myself, but I was determined to see my boyfriend and we were going home to Sewickley tomorrow so I could survive another day on the road.

Sid held my hand as he drove to the hotel, and he carried my suitcase for me as we rode the elevator up to the team's floor. His room wasn't far down the hall, which was good because my lack of energy was really obvious when I had to walk, and I crashed on his bed. He sat down next to me, tucking my hair behind my ear, and kissed my forehead.

"Do you want me to talk to Dr. Harner?" The Penguins head physician always traveled with them but I didn't want to take him away from the rest of the guys during the hard-hitting playoffs. "We have our face-off and power play meeting at 12:30 and I can have him come up and check you out while we're watching tape."

I wasn't going to win this one. "Sure," I said. It would be better than having to find a doctor to see out in the city somewhere, and if he was available then there was no harm in letting Sid try to help.

* * *

I closed the door of the hotel room behind Dr. Harner and crawled right back into bed. I had held it together while he was here but as soon as I turned the lock on the door, I completely lost it.

_How was this happening again?_

The doctor had come up while Sid was in his meeting with the team. He was pleasant, tall, friendly. And he had suspected what I was experiencing was a virus until he asked an unexpected, but dreaded question. "Is there any chance you could be pregnant?"

I almost laughed, and assured him that there was no way. I had been on the pill and while Sid didn't always use condoms, I was careful about taking it on time every day. But a urine test was going to be part of the general check-up anyway, so I reluctantly took the plastic cup and disappeared into the bathroom. Half of me didn't want to come back out and hand him the cup. I tried to think of all of the possible ways that maybe something had slipped up, but nothing came immediately to mind. I emerged from the bathroom and handed Dr. Harner the sample and he put it in a plastic bag while he went over some more questions with me.

"Are you on any medications?" He asked, and I realized it was probably challenging for him to see me without a file on hand.

"Just the birth control – Apri." I reached into my bag and handed him the pack, just so he could see that I was in fact on it and not pregnant. Not pregnant.

"This says Sronyx…" he said, pointing out the printing on the label.

"No…I'm on Apri. I was on Sronyx but I switched almost a year ago."

Thinking that there had been some sort of mistake, I asked to see the pack of pills again and read the label.

_Shit._

I had come back to Pittsburgh in January with another three-month supply of my usual birth control from the pharmacy I had gone to in Boston for years, and had called CVS to transfer my prescription. And somehow, some way, they had given me the wrong pill for April, May and June – my old prescription. But how would I have noticed if they were in the same blue plastic sleeve and the pills were the same color? I never thought to read the label – I didn't think I should have to double check. Isn't that what pharmacists got paid to do?

Dr. Harner tried to distract me with some other questions to get my mind off the possibility of my worst nightmare, and it was appreciated but I couldn't help but stare at the plastic bag sitting on a table behind him.

"How long have you been experiencing your symptoms?"

"Just since yesterday," I answered.

"And have you been sick at all today?"

"Early this morning…" I said, thinking back to how I got sick before I headed to JFK to get on the plane to head here.

"I'm going to write you a prescription for some anti-nausea medication and I want you to push fluids. Dehydration is a major concern and Gatorade will have some sugar in it so you're not completely fatigued. I'll call you with any findings of the test when I have them."

Before he left, I asked him one last thing. "Can you promise not to talk to Sidney about any of this?" I couldn't bear the thought of Sid hearing a rumor of something that might not even be true from the doctor or another person on the medical staff.

"Doctor-patient confidentiality," he assured me. He handed me the scribbled-on slip of a prescription and told me to get it filled soon so I could start to bounce back.

"Thank you," I said. And he was gone.

My tears were almost instant and the fear of possibly being pregnant again was enough to almost scare me back to health. I pulled the covers on the bed around me and screamed into the pillow, hoping that if I was pregnant, maybe I could scream it away. It had already been a year since I'd lost my baby. Somehow, I'd survived that and had managed to start coping with it. But now this?

A knock on the door forced me to snap out of my tantrum, and quickly. I wiped at my eyes, hoping I could talk up my appearance to being sick as a dog, and opened the door to Sidney's parents standing in the hallway. He hadn't mentioned they were coming but maybe I should've assumed that they were, since it was the second round playoffs.

"Oh, Charlotte, are you feeling any better?" Trina asked, and I stepped aside, letting them into the room. She had a paper bag in her hands and handed it to me. "Sidney told us you weren't feeling well yesterday so we brought you some soup. What's bothering you?"

I was a little overwhelmed by their unexpected appearance and I was still rattled by the doctor's visit. "I think I just have a stomach virus," I said. "The team physician just came and checked me out and wrote me a prescription for anti-nausea medicine so I can hopefully sit through the game tonight."

"Have you filled it yet? We were going out for a little sight seeing and we could take care of that for you," Troy offered, and it was very thoughtful of them to be so helpful.

"Sure, that would be great." I handed Troy the slip and they promised to be back in a couple hours at most.

I knew Sid hadn't talked to them yet today, or at least his mother, as a pre-game superstition so I couldn't really be mad at him for their sudden arrival but I was relieved when they were back on their way into the city.

* * *

I had a little more time to myself to have a meltdown before they came back, and I saw Sid briefly before he took off for the rink before the game. The nausea medicine did help a little but I was so worked up about everything that I still didn't feel great, but I tried to at least gather myself before I headed off to the game with the Crosbys and the Lemieuxs, who were waiting for us in their suite.

It was damn near impossible to maintain my composure during the few hours I was at the game. The Penguins were practically raping the Senators and while I was excited and happy for Sid and his teammates, the thought of possibly being pregnant again was haunting. I faked a smile and cheered genuinely for every goal, but I had to sit there, squirming in my seat while Troy, Trina, Nathalie and Mario chatted me up. They were looking at me like they could tell something was wrong but they all figured I was probably just not feeling 100% yet and the medication might've been harsh.

And there was Sidney, down on the ice doing what he does best, and excelling at it, as I tortured myself with the 'what if's.' _What if I was pregnant? Do I even tell him? Or do I just take care of it? I could go home to Boston and Sid would never have to know it was his. What if I did tell him? And he wanted to keep it? Would we get married? _

The end score was 7-3, Sid coming away with a goal and an assist, and Kris Letang taking first star of the game. The five of us made our way down to the tunnel at the final horn and met up with Sid outside the visiting locker room after he had addressed the media, showered and changed. He looked sharp in the navy suit he wore and it made me feel lackluster and gross as I compared myself to him. I was, after all, sick as a dog, but he wouldn't want to show me off to anyone like this.

We all decided that back to the hotel was probably the best decision for everyone tonight. It wasn't like we were at home and could celebrate their win out on the town without anyone batting an eyelash. This was enemy territory. This was the playoffs. And there was a bounty on their heads if they were seen acting out of line, or out in public in general. And here I was, a dead person walking, and Sid had that look in his eye like he just wanted to get me home and take care of me, which was nice considering he had been in his own world lately.

We parted ways with both sets of Sid's parents and headed to our own room. Sid unbuttoned his suit jacket, and slid it down his arms, laying in the chair in the corner. His shoes were off next, then his tie. I walked over to him, watching his arm muscles move in waves as he took off his clothes layer by layer. And it was moments like this next one where I was completely reassured that what we had was what we both needed. He pulled me close to him, and held me against his broad chest. He didn't say a word, and the only movement his body made was the rise and fall of his ribs as he breathed. I wrapped my arms around his torso and squeezed tight. I just needed to feel him, in the simplest sense of the word. I needed to touch him and know that he was real, and that he was right here with me.

Because now, more than ever, I was aware of the two missed calls on my phone from Dr. Harner and the increasing size of the pit growing in my stomach.


End file.
